Dead Terra: Apocalypse
by AnarchyGunRage
Summary: Shaundi returns for her final assult on the Atmos. She's building an army and its up to the Storm Hawks and Cyclonians to put thier differences aside again to rally what help from the magicals they can and stop her for good.
1. New Battles Begin

**note from the Author:**

**Well. here it is! This is the 3rd and final installment of my Storm Hawks: The Dead Terra Trilogy. As a note, this story will be rated M for violence (brutal), language (mild) and sexual themes (not-so-mild).  
In this installment:  
Shaundi escapes from her crystal prison and gathers herself some partners to help run her army of Zombies, Vampires and Deadlings. It's up to the Storm Hawks and Talons to put thier differences aside again to team up with the Faeries and Lycanthropes (werewolves) to stop them and put Shaundi down for good. **

**WARNING:  
Since this is the last story in The Dead Terra, a LOT of characters (OCs and not) will DIE! I'm not telling you who because that would be a spoiler!  
I don't own Storm Hawks! Enjoy!**

Dead Terra: Apocalypse

Chapter 1: A New Battles Begin

Things had been too different on the Condor with Vixxy gone. Walking passed her empty room was painful for all the Storm Hawks, mostly Finn.  
Leaving Terra Salemdor without her was the hardest thing the team had to do, but it was for the best. Besides, the Goddess of White Witchcraft, Hecate had promised the Hawks that Vixxy would return on the condition that they keep Finn alive.  
Vixxy was not only was Vixxy one of the newest ally to the Storm Hawks, but she was the current Midorian GunWitch; a position that was passed on from mother to daughter since the beginning of the Atmos. Vixxy gained the responcibilities of the GunWitch at age 13 by her mother, Ravess, making her the youngest GunWitch in centuries.  
Vixxy made the ultimate sacrifice to ensure the Storm Hawks victory against Shaundi, a Screamer who was terroriszing Terra Salemdor and even attempting to kill all other Magicals on the cast a spell that turned Shaundi into a regular witch, but she was however was still just as dangerous and now angry about all the souls she had captured-more then 1000 of them-had been released by Aerrow.

Piper walked passed Vixxy's room and then passed Finn's. Finn had just been sitting in the corner, holding Vixxy's purple and black guitar for the passed 3 days. Everyone was concerned about him.  
In a flash of violet, a violet colored Merb appeared in a black, long dress and a dark purple poncho with the hood pulled up. Piper knew who she was.  
"Cliodne!" She exclaimed happily.

"Hello again, Piper." The Druidess responded.

"How are things going?" Piper asked. "Is the Crystal still glowing like you said it was?"

Cliodne put her head down and her hood hid her face. "Piper..." She sighed, coldly. "Gather up the rest of your team and I'll portell what's going on."

Cliodne's tone made Piper nervous, but she obeyed.  
Once all the Storm Hawks were gathered on the bridge, Cliodne spoke:  
"Nice to see you again, Storm Hawks."  
They all responded. Cliodne continued. "I have horrible news and worse news." She sounded like a true Merbian.

"What is it?" Aerrow asked. "How bad can it be?"

"Marilyn went missing 2 days ago and we finally found her, dead, this morning."

"My sister is dead?" Piper gasped, in tears. "Again?"

"That is only the horrible news." Cliodne exhaled. "Here is the worse news. Shaundi has escaped from her crystal prison and our most powerful seer has said that she is planning something big."

All the Storm Hawks were mortifyed. They knew that Shaundi's first targets would be them and she would attack them both physically and mentally without any ounce of mercy.  
"How did Shaundi escape? I thought you said she wouldn't, Cliodne!" Aerrow yelled. "I mean, the Crystal prison kept her for two months!"

"I know what I said, Skyknight and I appologize in advance!" Cliodne stated calmly. "That's why I must implore you all to stay under the protection of the Magical Atmos' most powerful magicals in the camp posted on Terra Glaisias. The few Cyclonians whom Shaundi would target are already there."

"Who among the Talons would Shaundi want dead?" Junko asked.

Cliodne answered: "Dark Ace and his lover, Ravess and her brother, among others."

"I think we'll be okay, Cli." Aerrow said, despite the fearful looks from the rest of the Storm Hawks. "Shaundi'll never find us."

"You don't know what she's capable of, Aerrow." Cliodne said. "I've known her since the beginning. If she is looking for you, she'll never give up. First, she'll torchure one of you mentally. If that happens, I will sence it and send Gail to bring you all to Glaisias."

"Okay, Cli." Aerrow agreed.

...

Meanwhile, at the Atmosia stockade, Carver was welcomed back like a hero those two months ago. He was back to his old jail-bird self. The only new thing was the unfamiliar female guard with fair white skin and blood red hair.


	2. The Scary Thing About Myths

Chapter 2: The Scary Thing About Myths 

Late one night at the Stockade, four guards, two men and two women were discussing myths and legends.  
"Think about it," the dark haired man said to the mysterious redheaded female. "Witches, warlocs, gytrashes, screamers, the Magical Atmos. None of it really exists."

"How do you know for sure?" The redheaded woman asked.

"It's all myths and legends." The blonde woman answered for her husband.

"Myths and legends." The redhead said. "You want to hear the greatest myth of the Atmos...

_"Almost a million years ago, the Magical and Mortal Atmos were together as one with a total of 2000 terra, prior to the 1000...or 1004 these days. The Magicals and Mortals were together in harmony, but a rift began to grow between the two races. The Mortals began to feel threatened by the Magicals, so they attempted to make equilibrium between abilities. The Mortals developed Crystals and started to use them.  
"The Sorcerites were outraged; this act was nothing but a feeble attempt for Mortals to imitate sorcery. A war began. It was a brutal battle that lasted 200 years between the Mortals and on the other side, the Sorcerites, the Vampires, the Lycanthropes, Faeries and Dyrads.  
"An immense amount of blood was shed and a little more than half the terras were destroyed beyond replenishment in the Great War. The Mortals and Magicals stopped fighting and developed an agreement called the Ancient Pact. The Ancient Pact stated that the Mortals would keep 1000 terras and the magicals could keep the four terras: Terra Midoria, Terra Salemdor, Terra Dota and Terra Glaisias as long as they disappeared and were never to be seen in the mortal Atmos again.  
"The Magicals scattered themselves around the four terras they were given. The Sorcerites took Terra Midoria and Salemdor, the Vampires and Dyrads took Terra Dota as their mortal enemies, the Lycanthropes and Faeries took to Terra Glaisias; or so we assume.  
"Rumour has it that some of the Magicals snuck into the Mortal Atmos and are still living lives secretly among us. You could even be working with some Magicals."_

The other guards started to laugh.  
The redhead continued in a cold tone.  
"Now that you've heard the Atmos' greatest myth, would you like the know the scary thing about myths?"

"The scary thing?" The Blonde woman said.

"The scary thing about myths is..." The redhead blinked her eyes, turning them from green to deep red making the other three guards gasp. "...sometimes...they're real..."  
She raised her glowing palmed hands and threw them down in a burst of silver mist. "GYTRASH!" Three large, sliver, dog-like spirits with red glowing eyes stood before the three other guards. The blonde woman was already down the prison hall, screaming her head off and disturbing the inmates. The two men just stood in place, dumbfounded at what they were seeing.  
"GYTRASH!" The redhead ordered. "KILL THEM!"  
With that, the two of the three snarling creatures had the two men on the floor and were ripping their flesh, the third took off to track the woman.  
It thrashed through the prison hall, each and every inmate on that floor jumped in shock to see such a creature.

"Whoa!"

"What the hell is that thing?"

Carver stood up from his bed and tried to see what all the commotion on the floor below was, but what was the use? He knew he couldn't see.

The redheaded woman watched in great pleasure as the two men drew near their end as each dog held him up by the neck.

"Who...Who are you?" The dark haired guard wheezed. "What are you?"

The redhead smirked coldly. "I am Shaundi Lee Loveless Criss. I am here to ensure that you mortals pay for what you've done...Gytrash!"

With their order clear the two creatures snapped down their jaws. CRACK.  
Shaundi entered the prison hall, she was looking for someone.  
She had a good feeling about the second floor, so she cast a spell and in a puff of red smoke she was there. She turned in a 360 degree rotation and shouted out to the prison inmates that looked at her, either with awe, or lust, she didn't care.  
"Hello, worthless, incarcerated mortals..." She spoke out. "I seek the one known as Carver...Can someone point me in his direction?"

Just then, a familiar voice caught her attention.  
"Shaundi? Is that you?"

Shaundi transported herself to the front of Carver's cell with the same spell she'd used before. "Hello again, Carver." She purred.

"Oh, Shaundi! Am I glad to see your pretty face again!" Carver exclaimed. "What the hell do you think you're doing here?"

"Oh, I wanted to drop by and say hello-" Before Carver knew it, Shaundi was in the cell with him, yelling in his face. "-WHAT THE GODDESS' NAME DO YOU THINK I'M DOING HERE! I'M BREAKING YOU OUT YOU DUMB BUTCH!"

"Really?" Carver asked. "Why?"

"I like you." Shaundi answered, her face expressionless as always. "It was nice having you around and I'm developing an army so I can get revenge on the mortals on how we magicals have been treated." Seeing the nervous look on Carvers face, Shaundi sighed. "Don't worry. Even though you're a mortal, I will ensure you are sparred. I even have another mortal who has distaste for the Storm Hawks who wanted in."

"Who is it?"

"First things first..." Shaundi said as she disappeared.

"Whoa, whoa, Shaundi!" Carver looked around in the empty cell. "Shaundi! Where'd you go?"

...

The blonde woman was hiding underneath the desk in the office with the radio, talking to the Atmosian authorities.  
"I don't know who she is or where she came from. She's already killed Rudy and Bill and now she's after me...Please-"  
Her plea for help was cut off when an arm smashed through the top of the desk and ripped her violently through the debris. The redhead's eyes were glowing blood red.

"You can't hide from me." Shaundi growled. "I can smell your fear..."

"Please..." The blonde begged.

Shaundi's eyes stopped glowing.  
"You know..." She said, putting the blonde down. "You were the kindest to me, Cindy, during my whole scheme here...I'm not going to kill you."

The blonde grovelled. "Thank you. Thank you so much." She wept.

Shaundi reached into her coat and pulled out her necklace. "Not all the way, at least." She continued.  
The pendant on the necklace glowed green and a flash hit the blonde in the face. She fell on her back and slipped into unconsciousness.

...

Shaundi met Carver back in his cell.  
"Where'd you go?"

"That's not important." Shaundi said. "Come, we must leave before the authorities arrive."  
Shaundi grabbed Carver by the arm and next thing he knew, he was outside the prison walls. She laughed when he asked how she did that.  
"Come Carver," Shaundi stated. "We have a war to wage."


	3. First Offence

Chapter 3: First Offence

"Okay, Carver." Shaundi said. "You can look now."  
Carver turned around as Shaundi was throwing away the guard uniform and looked her up and down; not only did she turn her hair color back to what it was, dark sandy brown...  
He remembered Shaundi's old black low riding pants and red boots, but she traded in her old red shirt in for a tight, black top made of nylon that showed her skin and red bra quite clearly. Carver didn't know what to think.

"You...um...changed your clothes?"

"Yes." Shaundi replied. "Does that bother you?"

"Not at all." Carver responded, not taking his eyes off Shaundi's chest.

Shaundi walked over to him. "Shall we?"

"Lead the way."

Shaundi turned and Carver watched her back for a bit before tagging along. He noticed the tattoo branded on her lower back had changed shape. It went from the two symbols of evil and exorcism to a swirl like symbol. He didn't ask about it, knowing she would find a way to explain it later.

...

Once Carver broke into the prison shed and got his skimmer back, Shaundi sat behind him to give him directions to Terra Dota; the Vampire and Dyrad inhabited Terra where Shaundi was grouping her army. Something Shaundi said seemed to just compute with Carver once they landed.

"Wait! Shaundi, did you say _Vampires_?"

"Yes." Shaundi answered carelessly as she dismounted the skimmer. "Why?"

"I'm scared, Shaundi!"

"What is there to be scared about?"

"THEY"RE VAMPIRES! THEY'LL EAT ME!"

"Oh!" Shaundi gushed. "Silly mortal! Vampires don't eat their victims..."

"That's correct." A very attractive woman with light blue hair and fair skin confirmed. Her eye color was distorted by the blue sunglasses over them. However, her eyes were neatly painted with dark eyeliner and her lips were red. "We merely drain them of all their blood and marrow. That's what kills you."

"Wait." Carver said. "_We_? You mean?"

The woman smiled revealing the sharp canine teeth. Carver covered his neck.  
Shaundi laughed. "Don't fret, Carver. Fraust has strict orders to leave you alone...You are mine." She said.

Carver smiled. "Really."

"No...Not in that way." Shaundi said quickly. "You are too full of yourself...Just like...Who's that guy I found on the other side?"  
Right on cue, I. J. Domiwick ran over to Shaundi and gripped her like a frightened child. Shaundi used it to her advantage. "This guy...Know him, Carver?"

"Some author dude?" Carver dishonestly guessed. He knew who Domiwick was and he knew about his and Piper's rivalry. Word traveled fast around the prison.

"Isaac Jason Domiwick." Fraust announced.

Domiwick looked towards her. "What?"

"Your name." Fraust stated. "The _I_ stands for_ Isaac_ and the_ J_ stands for _Jason_. I honestly thought you'd know that."  
She smirked; a flirtatious action. Domiwick just shook his head. Fraust continued: "I've skimmed through a couple of your books."

"What? Only _skimmed_?"

"Yes...At the time I was far too busy with my own books."

"Come again?" Domiwick replied.

Fraust sprinted over to her ride; a blue and black skimmer-like mechanism with four wheels. She dug around in a compartment and pulled out a nicely decorated black book and trotted back to Shaundi, Carver and Domiwick. She handed the book to Domiwick, he examined the golden letters on the front:  
_Strange New World: A Mortal's Guide to the Magical Atmos by Fraust U. Trusko.  
_"It started out as a High School project for English class." Fraust stated. "Since I went to School on Atmosia, they thought it was all fictional..." She chuckled.

"Whoa, whoa, hold on." Domiwick stopped her. "Did you say you went to school on Atmosia?"

"Yes." Fraust reassured. "I wasn't born a vampire...In fact; I just got over my Fledglingism."

After a short silence, Domiwick opened the book and flipped through the pages until he found the section on vampires. He looked for the word Fraust had just said. He read the paragraph:

_Vampires can be born vampires, but most are changed from mortals by other vampires. Fully developed vampires can turn mortals into one of their own if blood is exchanged post blood extraction.  
No matter the age of the victim, when a vampire first wakes up to the first four to six weeks, he or she will go through a puberty like stage called Fledglingism. A fledgling vampire is a vampire just learning to control their new cravings and abilities such as bloodlust and greatly heightened speed capability._

"Huh." Domiwick exclaimed. "Now I get it."

Shaundi started to walk off and Carver followed like the love sick child he was on the inside. Shaundi knew Carver was following her, but she could care less. She stopped when she got to a cellar door.  
"I suppose you're wondering where I'm going."

"Um..."

"Also, you want to come."

"Wow, you're good." Carver stated. "At times like this, I wish I was a magical."

Shaundi chuckled in her cold, mirthless way. "My magical roots have nothing to do with it, Carver..." She said, opening the cellar door. "You're easy."

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?" Carver asked, approaching the hole in the ground.

Shaundi suddenly appeared in the darkness again, this startled Carver. "You may follow me if you wish." She said. "However, I must warn you of what you'll see...It has nothing to do with the blood."

Carver followed Shaundi down the stairs to a stone walled basement that was pitch black until Shaundi snapped her fingers and the sparks that flashed from her hand lit about a million white, scentless candles. In the middle of the chamber, there was a very large pool filled to the brim with blood.

"Uhh, Shaundi?" Carver spoke. "Is that blood..._human_?"

"Yes." The witch answered. "When I bath in blood, I can use a spell that allows me to penetrate a mortal mind, no matter how far away...By this time, I'm sure the Storm Hawks would be asleep and when the mortal mind is at rest, the spell takes effect without much of my own mental power."

"So...You're responsible for those dreams I was having about you in jail?"

"What?"

"Nothing..."

Shaundi sighed.  
"Anyways...I believe, Carver...I said to be warned of what you may see..."

"And it has nothing to do with the blood." Carver continued, he then realized that he was confused and then shocked when he looked back up at Shaundi and she was taking off her clothes. "Uhhhhhhhh...Shaundi...What...are...you...d-uh...doing?"

Shaundi laughed as her last bit of clothing hit the floor. "The spell works more efficiently when I'm naked...Please, don't ask why?"

Carver's mind was so blank, his next word was: "Why?"  
Shaundi chuckled as she submerged herself in the crimson liquid. When she came back up, her skin was gleaming and her eyes were glowing red, the blood that her fingers traced glowed the same shade of red.  
Carver's mind went even blanker as he sat on the steps and watched her. He didn't know what to let go through his mind and what to block out.

"Okay..." Shaundi said, her voice echoed spectrally. "Come to me...Piper..."


	4. Terra Glaisias

Chapter 4: Terra Glaisias 

Piper ran alone through dark stone hallways, but it seemed that no matter where she ran too, she came back to the same place.  
"What is going on?" She asked herself. "Where am I?"  
Her thoughts were interrupted with the sound of someone weeping. Piper looked to her left and her surroundings changed to Terra Gale. The girl weeping was her old friend, Dove.

Dove was on her knees in a dark corner, her hands covering her face, just weeping. As Piper drew closer, she realized that Dove's skin was grey and her hands were covered in something. Maybe something happened. Maybe she was sick.  
"Dove? Are you okay?" Piper asked. Her friend continued to weep. "Dove?"  
Dove looked up at Piper through mangled hair; her eyes were blank, pale grey like she was dead. Her weeping turned into angry growling as Dove stood up. Piper realized that it was blood and dirt on Dove's hands. "Dove! What happened to you? Why are you looking at me like that?" Piper kept talking to Dove as she kept looking at her with a murdering look. "Come see my friend, Cliodne...She's a Druidess. I'm sure she can help you."

Dove threw up her head and let out a blood curdling scream before she lunged at Piper and knocked her over on her back. Piper screamed and protected her face as the dead Dove slashed away at her skin with sharp finger nails.

"Stop now!" A voice ordered. Dove dismounted the bleeding Piper and she looked up, hoping it was help, but it was a weak wish that was not answered. It was Shaundi standing over Piper in her black dress that she wore on Terra Salemdor. "Hello, Piper." She said.

"Shaundi?" Piper screamed. "What did you do to Dove?"

"What I'm about to do to you, Piper." Shaundi said, pulling out her medallion. "Enjoy life as a Weeper."  
The green light flashed on Piper and she screamed.

...

Gail and Stork carried Piper to the bridge. She was sweating, trembling, bawling, screaming and still asleep. The two Merbs put Piper down on the table and she twitched and thrusted around, screaming and clutching her head.

"We need to call Cliodne before she rips her hair out." Stork said to Aerrow.

"Piper, wake up! PIPER!" Aerrow yelled, shaking her.

"That won't work, Aerrow." Gail said. "Shaundi has her trapped in her nightmare. That's why she can't wake herself up."

"CLIODNE!" Aerrow screamed.

The violet Merb appeared in a purple light saw Piper and ran to her. "I didn't know she would start now!" She put her hands on Piper's forehead and chest. She closed her eyes and opened them again, they glowed purple. "It's definitely Shaundi!"

"Can you save Piper?" Finn asked.

"I can try." Cliodne replied. She focused. "Shaundi...Let her go...Let her go...Let her go...Piper...Come to me...Get away from her...Come to me..." There was a silence. "Shaundi...Let...her...GO!"  
Cliodne ripped her hands away from Piper and a red smoke seemed to expel from her body as Piper jolted awake and held herself, sobbing.

...

Shaundi came out of her own trance. "Damn you, Cliodne..."  
She turned and exited the pool.

"I...take it Cliodne will be a problem." Carver said, handing Shaundi a towel.

"She's been a problem since her and I were children." Shaundi responded, cleaning the blood off her body. "But I'm not giving in...Especially not to her..."

...

"Piper, are you alright?" Cliodne asked.

Piper grabbed Cliodne's shoulders in a hug. "That was so scary!" She wept.

"Well, it's over now." Cliodne said.

Aerrow thought for a bit. "Stork. Set a course for Terra Glaisias." He commanded.

Stork nodded and grabbed the helm of the Condor. Star and Night, his too girlfriends; twin Cascade Merbs that shared everything, even him at his side.  
They formerly fought beside Vixxy on Terra Midoria with their gifted young sister, Moon. All three of them had dark blue skin, yellow eyes and black hair. They all dressed in black, but Star and Night sported tank tops, shorts and hiking equipment instead of Moons little black dress.

"You'll be protected on Glaisias." Gail told Aerrow. "...And your sister wants to see you again. She misses you."

"You mean Ava?"

"Uh, sure." Gail said. "You know, she may be a Cyclonian now...but she's still your sister."

"I know, Gail." Aerrow sighed.

Gail paused. "You still can't get...that image...out yet?"

Aerrow screamed at the repressed memory of Dark Ace and his sister getting intimate behind a desk on Terra Midoria and he was unlucky enough to witness it.

...

Cliodne walked past Piper's room and noticed that she was lying awake.  
"Piper, get some sleep." She said. "We'll be at the Terra in a few hours."

"I can't sleep." Piper said.

"You have nothing to worry about." Cliodne said. "I am the only Sorceress in the Magical Atmos that Shaundi is weak against. As long as I'm around, she can't touch any of you."

"And you won't be far away on Glaisias?"

"Not far at all." Cliodne assured.

Piper rolled over and closed her eyes and Cliodne pulled her blanket over Piper's shoulder in a motherly gesture.

...

With Stork and Star flying the Condor in shifts, everyone got to Terra Glaisias safely by morning. Terra Glaisias had a terrain of grey stone and grass. The temperature was warm with a chill in the wind.  
The Condor landed in front of the camp where Cliodne arranged to keep other Magicals she knew and the Cyclonians safe.  
When Aerrow led the others to the center of the camp, he immediately saw his sister, Ava, also known as Keira Marie. She was now free of her crutches, but she still limped around with a brace on her one broken leg.  
She saw the Storm Hawks and greeted them.

"Hey, Keira." Aerrow said, still not used to calling her by her new name. "How's your leg?"

"He broke my leg once...It's nothing I haven't been through yet." Was Keira Marie's reply. She was talking about her ex husband, Geoffry who was the former Sky Knight of Terra Dota and had a dark hobby of beating her senseless on a day-to-day basis. Dark Ace was the one who rescued her and gave her a new life as a Talon Commander.

But that story was told many times already.

...


	5. The Weeper

Chapter 5: The Weeper

The next morning, Aerrow and Piper went looking for Cliodne and found her in her cabin with Dark Ace, Keira Marie, some other Talons and a Guard from the Atmosia Prison. She was a brown haired woman with her hair in a pony tail and dark sunglasses over her eyes, making her look sophisticated in her guard uniform.

"So you sent more guards into the Prison and none of them came back out?" Keira Marie asked.

"No." The Guard responded in a British accent. "So we sent in the last guards we had, my brother and his wife in with a camera to see what was going on and he came back out...She didn't."

"Well that's some good news." A lady Talon said. "To some degree at least."

"But, he didn't come out himself...He came out completely mad...and this is why." The Guard woman produced a video tape. "I'll leave it with you." She handed it to Dark Ace. "I can't watch it again..." She started to walk out of the cabin as Dark Ace handed the tape to Cliodne. "I'll warn the children...What you will see on that tape...may...disturb you."

Once the woman left, Cliodne brought the tape over to the projector and prepared it.  
"I think the other Storm Hawks should see this too, along with Ravess and Snipe." Keira Marie said to Aerrow and Dark Ace. "Since the rest of them are involved too."

So Aerrow and Piper fetched the rest of the Storm Hawks, excluding Moon due to Cliodne's suggestion. Everyone gathered around and a lady Talon named Violet started the tape.  
It started with the two guards, the brother behind the camera and his wife walking in front.

"What the..." The wife spoke, looking around. "What happened to all the inmates?"

"I don't..." The brother started, he then paused and the camera flailed around. "OH MY GOD! WE'RE STEPPING IN THEM!"  
There was the sound of both of them screaming in the blur until the camera man calmed down. "Lynndah, shh...Listen..." He said, holding the camera down so the completely shredded corpse of a prison inmate was visible.

Everything went silent and a faint noise was heard, it was hard to make out what it was through the speakers and nobody wanted to turn up the volume any farther.  
"It sounds like someone crying..."

As the two drew closer to the source of the noise, it became clear that it was indeed someone weeping. When the weeping was at its loudest, the two were clearly in the same room.  
"Darren." The wife called. The camera man turned the camera to her. "Look." She pointed to her right and the camera turned to a corner.  
In the corner was the individual who was sobbing. It was a woman with long blonde hair, white skin and something on each finger that hid her face as she wept in the corner. She was wearing a torn up guard uniform.

Darren spoke up. "Oh my God, it's Cindy."

"What's wrong with her?" Lynndah asked, drawing closer.

Gail noticed how pale Cliodne's face had gone. "Cliodne...Is that a..."

"I think so..." Was the response. "I'm just praying I'm incorrect."

Everyone continued to watch the tape as Lynndah drew closer and closer to the sobbing creature in the corner. "Cindy? Is that you?" She was soon right in front of the blonde woman and her face showed, glowing red eyes lit up the dark corner as the once crying undead Cindy went berserk and took down the screaming Lynndah.

Everything else was happening in a blur of action and screaming as the berserk creature ripped and tore at Lynndah with whatever she had on her fingers while Darren was screaming curse words and using the Lords name in vain in the background before he bolted and dropped the camera right at his sisters feet and kept running and screaming.

The tape cut out.

Once the lights went on, it was visible how pale most of the Storm Hawks were, all excluding Stork.  
"That was the scariest flipping thing I have ever seen in my whole life." Snipe exclaimed.

"Meh, I wanna ask her if I can get her number." Stork replied, getting a look he was quite used to afterwards.

"Cliodne, what was that thing?" Piper asked, mortified at how familiar it was from her nightmare.

"That was a Weeper." Cliodne answered. "They are a nasty, nasty, _nasty_ variety of Deadling."

"While studying Demonology in school, I read up on them." Violet said. "The Weeping Deadling is much rarer then the Common, turnip headed Deadling and thus, her penalty is much more severe."

"Penalty?" Finn asked as he got a better look at Violet.  
Violet was a very young lady Talon. According to Ravess, she was fresh from the Talon Academy on Cyclonia that wasn't destroyed. She was 20 years old and has jet black hair and dark blue eyes. Her skin was tanned very nicely and she had several piercings; one on her lip, three on one ear and only two on the other.

Violet continued. "Penalty, meaning that if you happen to have a close encounter with a Weeper, you will likely die. If you come across one, mainly all you have to do is go into _stealth mode_." She finger quoted.

"Stealth mode." Dark Ace laughed. "I like how you put it, Vi."

"Thank you sir." Violet said, nodding her head. "But it is the best and simplest way to put what I'm saying. Turn off flashlights and walk around her as if not to disturb her if she's crying."

"But why do they cry?" Junko asked. "Are they sad all the time?"

"No." Violet said. "Something that's peculiar about them is they cry as they sleep and when they're awake, such as the day time for example, they move around. Dance, skip and sing to themselves. They seem to be much happier looking in the day time, but just as dangerous. Weeper Deadlings are still Deadlings and they have one life objective. Kill."

Cliodne was impressed. "She's done her homework on demonics."

"Got top of her class in demonics and demonology." Keira Marie stated, patting Violet on the shoulder. "We're happy to have her."

"Thank you Madam." Violet said, nodding to Keira Marie.

"Madam?" Aerrow repeated with a confused face.

"I was promoted." Keira Marie cleared up. "I am now a Talon Commander with my own dispactment."

"I've never been happier for her." Dark Ace exclaimed as he pulled Keira Marie close and kissed her deeply, making Aerrow turn away. He felt like his enemy only did that to annoy him.

"They way I see it, we have one simple objective." Piper stated. "That Weeper, or whatever it was, has to go."

"Indeed." Cliodne replied. "We need to go to the Stockade and find that Weeper and destroy it."

"But what I want to know is why Shaundi was even there in the first place." Gail said.

Aerrow jumped and ran out to find the guard. He found her. "Hey!" He grabbed her arm. "Were all the inmates called for? Were they all there? Tell me!"

"We-We don't know." The woman replied, taking her arm back. "Once we identify all the bodies, we'll know."

"Aerrow." Keira Marie limped over. "What's going on? Why do you need to know that?"

"Do you think Shaundi would have gone to the prison to get Carver back?" Aerrow asked.

"Why would she?" Gail asked. "Isn't it more like her to just leave him to rot, Cliodne?"

"Yes." The Druidess answered. "But...Someone was there between Carver and Shaundi...Something like love...Not sexual...May the Goddess help us when that day comes."


	6. Horrid Truth

Chapter 6: Horrid Truth

Dark Ace approached Cliodne with a few questions about Keira Marie.  
"In her condition, would she fair against a Weeper?"

"Not at all." Cliodne replied. "In her condition, A Weeper will notice she's injured and attack her first regardless of who disturbed her or not."

"Knowing Keira, you're in for one hell of an argument..." Violet stated.

Dark Ace nodded and departed. He went to find the two same Talons that helped him last time she was too injured to come. "Shane! Cyrus!"

A blonde and dark haired Talon responded.  
"Hello, sir. Are you ready to go fight...uh...whatever that thing on the tape was?" Shane, the dark haired asked.

"First off, are you two ready to fight an even more difficult fight with me?" Dark Ace asked Shane and Cyrus.

Cyrus, the blonde blinked. "You're going to tie up Keira Marie so she can't come again, aren't you?"

"Yeah." Dark Ace said, defensively. "You don't understand. She's still pretty tough when she's-dare I say it-crippled."

"Yes. I recall last time when she hit me in the face with her crutch." Shane suddenly looked concerned. "Those _are_ gone, right?"

"Yeah, she can walk...or should I say hobble on her own now. You boys have nothing to worry about. Not much at least."

...

Aerrow was suddenly concerned and confused when he saw Dark Ace leading Shane and Cyrus passed with ropes and a roll of duct tape while everyone else prepared to depart for the prison. A memory hit him and Aerrow seemed to know what all of it was for.  
"Isn't there a better way to get her to stay here?"

"No. She's far too stubborn and I can't risk her getting herself killed." Dark Ace snapped.

"Oh, you care?"

"About her? Yes. About you? No." Dark Ace then cracked a smile. "I'm not sleeping with _you_, Aerrow."

Aerrow flinched.

Keira Marie came out of the cabin and immediately knew what was going on.  
"DON'T YOU DARE!" She screamed, pointing a finger at her loved one. "NOT AGAIN!"

Dark Ace tried to negotiate with her. "Will you stay here for me?"

"HELL NO!"

Dark Ace shook his head.  
"Alright then, Keira. You leave me no choice...GET HER!"

The three chased Keira Marie back into the cabin and there was a barrage of noise and profanity.  
"Quite the relationship they have." Gail sighed.

"I can't agree more." Piper added.

Cliodne approached the Storm Hawks.  
"Now, children...Are you sure you wish to go with the Cyclonians? Weepers are one of the nastiest varieties of Deadling. Cross her and she will keep slashing until she's literally slashed the life out of you."

"That's how Alexis died." A lady Talon said.

Aerrow looked back at her. He remembered Alexis from Terra Midoria. "Alexis Moss? She's dead?"

"Uh huh." The lady Talon replied. "A Jumper got her and rode her right into a Weeper. Poor thing didn't stand a chance and boy was her father ever mad? He blamed Hamish...but the little guy was busy trying to pry Spitter bile off his face. He couldn't see a thing."

"Jumper?" Piper asked.

"Spitter?" Finn added.

Dark Ace appeared behind Aerrow. "That's Mary. She's the only survivor, next to Hamish and Mr. Moss, from the Deadling attack on Zartacula..." He paused. "This will be dangerous, Storm Hawks...Not that I care."

"Not to mention..." Cliodne continued. "The horrors you will witness will most likely ruin your childhood."

The Storm Hawks hesitated and then stated that they wanted to go. It was only Stork who chose to stay behind and the Shade sisters stayed behind too.  
"But Star, Night, I thought you liked action?" Piper asked.

"We do." Star started.

"But we have to make sure that Banshee stays away from our Stork." Night added.

"We've seen the way she looks at him..." The two said together.

"I'll offer one more time to send you young ones to the safe house where Sami is staying." Dark Ace said towards mostly Aerrow.

"No thanks again." Aerrow said. "Who's Sami, by the way?" Aerrow had heard Dark Ace, Keira Marie and some of the Talons talking about a kid named Samara, but he was never sure who she was.

"Samara. My and Keiras daughter...I thought you knew."

The shout that came from Aerrow echoed. "YOU TWO HAD A KID? HOW LONG AGO?"

"Shortly after your dad tragically past away." Dark Ace calmly replied. "She's 10 now."

"WHAT?"

"Yes, Aerrow. I've been doing your sister for A LONG TIME!" He laughed in his evil way.

Aerrow screamed.

"By God, child." Violet said, walking by. "So your older sister is having sex with the Dark Ace...Get over it!"

Aerrow just frowned at her.

...

Aerrow didn't want to look at Dark Ace for the entire trip to the prison.  
"You know, Violet is right." Piper said. "You have to get over it."

Aerrow seemed to be pouting. He knew his sister loved Dark Ace, but he was uncomfortable with the fact that he fathered a child for her when she was still married, but her cheating on her abusive husband was somewhat understandable.

"You know..." Dark Ace said. "It _was_ an accident."

"OH BULL-"

"Listen to me!" Dark Ace stopped him from saying the rest. "Geoffry, as we all know was mentally abusing Ava at the time when I was a-God forbid-Storm Hawk...When I became a Talon and then came back to check on her, Geoffry was hitting her. I...went to their house while Geoffry was gone and offered to console her...and it got...a little far..."

Aerrow just glared at him.  
Dark Ace flew ahead of the group.

...

The group of eight; Dark Ace, Violet, Gail, Aerrow, Piper, Finn, Junko and Ravess arrived at the prison at sundown, which gave the exterior a creepy aura. In the silence, faint weeping was heard.  
"Last chance to go home..." Ravess spoke as Dark Ace slid the squeaky door open.

The group entered to darkness, their only source of light was bladed weapons from Dark Ace and Aerrow. The group split up into two groups, one was to investigate the lower floor, one the higher floor.  
When they were preparing to start looking for the Weeper, a new sound was heard in the darkness. It was the sound of someone coughing, sputtering, wheezing and choking.  
Everyone looked towards the sound and saw a shadow of a person doubling over.

Violet's pupils went small. "Uh oh..."

"What? What is it, Violet?" Piper whispered.

"We're in trouble now..."


	7. Rescued

Chapter 7: Rescued

"Everyone stay perfectly still." Violet whispered.

"Why?" Piper was dangerously close to sobbing. "What is it?"

Before anyone could say anything else, something long, whip-like and grey lashed out a snared Piper by the leg and started to drag her towards the shadowy figure.  
Piper flipped, rolled and screamed as everyone else lunged forward. Aerrow grabbed Piper by the waist and tugged her back. The creature came into the light and the thing that was holding on to Piper was its tongue.

"Ewwwwww." Aerrow said.

"GROSS!" Piper exclaimed, finishing.

The creature was a human woman at one time; she had short brown hair and white eyes, dead eyes and grey pasty looking skin with multiple green blotches on her cheek bones, neck and arms. She wore a Talon uniform.

"Oh my God, it's Nikki." Ravess stated in shock.

"Somebody do something!" Aerrow yelled as he started to drag along with Piper.

Violet ran forward and severed the creatures tongue with her blade. The creature cried in pain as blood poured from its mouth. As it doubled over and bled, Dark Ace ran to it and decapitated it. With one last wheezing sound, the creature fell into a pool of its own blood. Dark Ace walked back to the group with spatter on his pants.

"Wh-What is that thing?" Piper shook, standing up. "It's _not_ a Weeper."

"That is a Choker." Violet said. "You saw what they do."

"Drag you around with their tongue?" Finn asked.

"Yeah, pretty much." Violet said. "They drag you towards them and then toss you to the nearest Weeper."

"So the Weeper must be near-by." Aerrow said.

"Yeah." Ravess added. "Everyone listen..." The Weeping was heard. "Good. She'll be easy to find. Everyone power down weapons and follow the crying."

...

Everyone's eyes adjusted to the darkness; some quicker than others.  
"Screw this..." Dark Ace whispered harshly after he tripped over something. He powered up his blade and in the red light, what he tripped over made him freeze. The Weeper turned her face that was hidden by her hair, but her red eyes were as clear as day. "Oh...jeez..."

Everyone froze, refusing to make any sudden moves, but Dark Ace began to panic. He jumped up, bolting. "OH MY GOD! I'M GONNA DIE!" The Weeper made a rough deep breathing noise before letting out a screeching noise before pursuing her pray.  
"What do we do, Violet?" Ravess asked. "These things are too difficult to kill with bullets. I don't even want to attempt arrows!"

"I say we just sit here and enjoy the show." Aerrow said coldly, watching the Weeper chase Dark Ace up and down the halls.

"I wish I could take a closer look at her." Piper said.

"You can once it's dead." Gail stated.

"STOP MINGLING AND KILL THIS THING BEFORE IT KILLS ME!" Dark Ace screamed stopping in front of the downwards stairs.  
Everyone flinched and ran for the stairs after the psychotic creature tackled Dark Ace like a football jock and sent them both tumbling down the stairs. They looked down the dark stairs and the Weeper screaming was heard under Dark Ace's demands for someone to kill it.

Finn shot down the stairs and hit something. The Weeper shrieked and fast footsteps were heard, someone running.  
Aerrows blades provided blue light and he led the group of seven down the stairs. At the bottom, they found Dark Ace, shaking and his chest and arms covered in bloody gashes.  
"At least we know Finn shot the Weeper and scared it off." Gail said.

"So cold." Dark Ace shivered.  
Ravess attempted to lift him to his feet and support him, but she grabbed his arm and the once fear worthy man cried in pain. She dropped him again.

"What are we gonna do now?" Violet groaned.

"Hope he can tough it out until we kill the Weeper?" Aerrow suggested.

Dark Ace was not amused. "Ha...Ha..."

"It can't get any worse can it?" Ravess asked. Violet started to shush her, when sudden another creature dropped from the higher floor, landing on her feet and standing up straight. Another once lady Talon. This one was ginger haired, dead eyes like all Deadlings were and worse skin then the Choker and to top it all off, this poor woman looked like her entire bottom lip and half her chin had been burned off and detached from the rest of her face.  
"A Spitter?" Ravess asked.

"We're dead." Dark Ace moaned from the floor.

"Stay perfectly still..." Violet instructed the others. "A Spitters vision is based on movement..."  
Everyone obeyed Violet and froze in place.  
The half faced creature tilted her head in confusion as she suddenly thought she was all alone and wondered where her pray had gone so fast. She staggered over to Finn and examined him closely; her nose nearly touched his. Seeing that 'nobody was there', the Spitter started away before getting her whole head blown right off her shoulders.  
Now that it was safe, Finn shuttered.

The shooter stepped out of the shadows with a smoking shotgun in hand.  
"You guys okay?" She asked, looking at them with golden eyes shining through her blue bangs; sunglasses perched over her forehead. The Spitters body just hit the floor with a thud.

Violet looked at the fair skinned woman in a blue and grey toggle buttoned top, black pants and boots. She gasped. "Oh, my God! You're Fraust Trusko!"

The woman nodded. "That I am." She said with a grin, but refusing to show her teeth. "It's always nice to meet an admirer."

"Wow. It's a honour to meet you, Miss Trusko." Violet gushed. "I've based my entire education on Demonology on your two books! You are a genius went it comes to spirits and creatures and-"

"Hey! Don't mind me!" Dark Ace announced. "Just...BLEEDING TO DEATH FROM A WEEPER ATTACK HERE!"

"A _Weeper_ attack?" Fraust asked, intrigued. "Why aren't you dead?"

"You tell me." Dark Ace sighed. "THE PAIN! IT'S UNBEARABLE!"

Fraust examined the gashes. "Impressive. You're the first mortal man in history to survive a Weeper attack."

"Yippee." Dark Ace exclaimed sarcastically. "Let's throw me a party!"

"We'll get you out of here in just a moment...First..."  
Fraust loaded and cocked her shotgun and fired two shots into both hallways, then loaded and cocked again and fire two rounds into the roof. Everyone unplugged their ears just in time to hear the Weeper scream from down the left hall.

"She's coming back?" Piper choked. "Why did you do that?"

Fraust loaded and cocked the gun a third time.  
"It's best for her to come to you then you go to her."  
The Weeper came bolting down the hall, arms wide open to engage her 'deadly hug' on Fraust. The woman stood her ground as everyone else trembled in fear of the blonde greyscale creature.

"What are you doing? SHOOT IT BEFORE IT GETS HERE!"

"Not yet." Fraust objected as the Weeper was just a few meters away from her, raising an arm and preparing to strike. It was that moment where Piper realized that the Weeper didn't have weapons on her fingers; the ruler length sharp weapons _were_ her fingers. Claws.  
"I'm gonna crown this little-"  
Fraust didn't finish her sentence, she pulled the trigger and blew a huge hole in the Weepers forehead. The Weeper stumbled for a couple more steps before falling forward and giving one last twitch.

"What?" Piper asked, astounded.

"Crowning a Weeper is the fastest and most effective way of killing one." Fraust explained, letting the one empty shell out of the gun. "Let her just come up to you and send a bullet right through her cranium. It has to be done this way, unless you want to waste some much needed ammo. Trust me, I wrote the book on these things." She chuckled to herself.

"BOOM! Headshot!" Finn exclaimed, pumping his arms. "Chicka-cha!"

"Now, let's get _him_ some help." Fraust gestured to Dark Ace. "Now...this _will_ hurt..." Fraust grabbed Dark Ace's one arm and Ravess took the other. Dark Ace whimpered in pain as the two ladies hoisted him to his feet and supported him so he could limp to his skimmer.

...

Meanwhile, Shaundi, Carver and Domiwick watched Fraust escort the group out of the prison from the top floor.  
Domiwick was confused.  
"So explain to me why you had Fraust _save_ them and not _maul _them."

"Fraust is much respected among the magicals, Isaac." Shaundi explained, as Domiwick requested. "It's her deepest, darkest and well kept secret that she's a vampire. She will go to Cliodne's little _safe haven_ and first sabatose every single ride she finds so that way...They can't stop me when I unleash the next phase of my plan on the Mortal Atmos...And she may feed as she wishs."


	8. By Magical Standards

Chapter 8: By Magical Standards

Carver wandered aimlessly around looking for Shaundi in the camp that was now not only crawling with vampires, but now zombies and Deadlings.  
He went to Shaundi's cabin and she wasn't there either, so his next location was the cellar. He opened it and met a black haired Weeper. Carver froze, letting the doors drop of the ground.  
The sudden light and noise made the creature growl and bare her claws, but when she realized who it was she was about to attack, she seemed to bow, shuffled her way around him and retreated.

Carver was confused, so he was going to ask Shaundi once he found her...If he found her. Where had she gone?  
When Carver reached Shaundi's blood pool, she wasn't there either.  
"Damn it!" Carver shouted into the silence. His voice echoed and a Spitter responded with a gurgle. "Where is she?" He asked the Spitter.  
The creature just tilted her head and scampered up the cellar stairs.

"Carver? Thou were calling me?" Shaundi said from a doorway. She wiped her eye, surprisingly not smudging the black liner that decored her eyes.

"Shaundi? Were you _sleeping_?"

"Yes. Yes I was." Shaundi answered, leaning against the doorway.

"Why?"

"To make a Weeper, it requires three Deadling sprites. A Choker requires five and a Spitter, four. Thus, unfortunately, the two most difficult Deadlings to make are the ones that are the easiest to kill and vice-versa. Making all the Chokers and others that I'm going to need by myself will wear me out. I don't even to care to attempt to create a Jumper."

"And the zombies?"

"It takes no energy, but the energy to make the infectious virus to force feed them."

Carver thought about what Shaundi said before.  
"Wait, Shaundi. What do you mean 'by yourself'?"

The witch sighed.  
"Ever since Cliodne incarcerated me in her crystal prison, I've been weakening in my lost Screamer abilities."

"Man, you magicals have brutal ways of dealing with each other..."

"You don't know the half of it, my mortal." Shaundi turned her back and retreated into her chamber, collapsing on the bed. "In able to have the strength to carry out my plans now...I need a mate..."

"A mate? You mean like enable for you to make more of those thingnamabobbers, you need to...get laid?"

Shaundi rolled her eyes and sat up.  
"Yes Carver. Of course I wouldn't use such a stupid, childish, mortal terms, but yes. To make more of those _thingnamabobbers_, I need to _get laid_."

"I'll do it." Carver immediately stated.

Shaundi just stared at him.  
"Why?"

Carver paused.  
"Because...you're hot?"

Shaundi blinked.  
"I'm...hot..." She blinked again. "Is that mortal for something?" She talked as if her and Carver's dialogues were based on different languages.

"It's mortal for...Hot is mortal for..." Carver thought carefully about what to say. "Sexually attractive?"

Shaundi laughed.  
"Now, Carver...You're not so bad yourself...but I'm not talking about _sex_ by your mortal standards, where you just-"Shaundi made a popping noise with her lip. "-and it's over and done with. No, I'm talking about it by magical standards."

Carver sat beside Shaundi.  
"Okay? The difference is?"

"By my standards, the first time must be a ritual; a scary ritual." Shaundi explained.

"Scary? How?"

Shaundi stood up and walked out to the blood chamber as if Carver had insulted her.  
"I won't." She said, looking at her crimson reflection in the pool.

Carver predictably followed her.  
"What?"

Shaundi kept looking at herself in the reflective blood.  
"Nobody, nothing understands me but the truth itself, Carver." She said. "You'll never understand my feelings for you."

"You're wrong, Shaundi." Carver said, walking up to Shaundi and putting his hands on her shoulders. "I know you're feelings exactly, because I feel them too." He paused. "I'm in love with you..."  
Shaundi turned her head to face Carver and cracked a small smile. Carver noticed it.  
"Hey? Is that a smile I see on your face?"

Shaundi shoved him away.  
"_You're_ wrong...I _never_ smile!"

"Deny it all you want." Carver said, smiling. "I saw you smile just now." He shushed himself once Shaundi scowled. "Never mind, sorry..."

Shaundi continued their last conversation after a sigh.  
"Scary by there will be blood." She paused. "And cutting..."

Carver hesitated.  
"Blood or no blood. I wanna see you succeed. I'll still do you..._it_."

Shaundi shook her head.  
"Carver...I care about you for a reason I don't plan on telling you until I'm sure about it. I don't want you to end up like me, putting your life into the hands of others and letting them steal it away."

"Steal it away?"

"Yes. Go, Carver." Shaundi said, turning her back again. "Get out of this while you still can. You're free now-"

"No." Carver turned Shaundi around. "I'm not going anywhere." He stared into her deep red and dark eyes. "Cut me, steal my life away. I'll take whatever your freaky magical standards through at me. I want to be yours, Shaundi. I love you."

Shaundi turned around and started to take off her clothes again. Once she was baring all, she jumped into the blood pool and then immediately crawled back out.  
Carver gawked at her naked, glistening, crimson body; disappointed, however, that her back length hair hung over her shoulders and covered her breasts; what he wanted to see. He was afraid to complain, so he stayed quiet.  
"You like what you see?" Shaundi purred, stopping in front of him.

Carver nodded.  
Shaundi walked around him and gestured for him to follow her back to her bed.  
He obeyed.  
"Take off your gloves and shirt, please." The witch requested.  
He obeyed.  
"Sit by the wall." Shaundi said.  
Carver walked passed her, sat on Shaundi's bed and scooted to the wall. She crawled over to him and straddled his lap.  
"This is your last chance to go back, Carver."

"Are you kidding me?" Carver gasped. "We got this far...I want this, Shaundi. I'll split my energy with you and help you take over _everything_."  
Shaundi placed her bloody hands on Carver's shoulders and leaned over. She touched her ice cold lips against his. He put his hands on her bare back; the only warm part of her body seemed to be where her tattoo was. He broke the kiss.  
"Shaundi, I have to know. What happened to your tattoo thing?"

"With the Screamer gone, magic took its toll and de-demonized me." Shaundi answered. "Thus, in a painful process that lasted weeks, the tattoo changed."

"Sorry."

"Oh, don't be." Shaundi scoffed. "Oh...and Carver...don't be afraid to explore me in return."  
Shaundi brushed her hair to behind her shoulders before continuing the kiss, the blood started to drip down to the lower part of her body as Shaundi started to heat up.  
As she started to kiss him deeper, Carver slid his hands down from Shaundi's back, to her hips and then down towards her legs. She broke off the deep kiss to groan and make other noises as he caressed her thighs.

"Jeez. That exploring enough for ya?" Carver asked her, surprised at the noises Shaundi made.

"I...I have a better idea..." Shaundi sighed. "Explore me this way...It may help us both..."  
Shaundi took Carver's hand with her ice cold hands and guided it to the highly sensitive part in between her legs. He jumped, but didn't hesitate to dig into the area. Shaundi tilted her head back and moaned loudly, and then pulled her head forward again, Carver was smirking at her. He'd found her melting point.  
After a while of kissing, stroking and laughing (Shaundi was actually laughing and not mirthlessly), Shaundi slid away from Carver and stalked over to her quazenza at the other end of the room and pulled out a blade that must have been 6-inches.  
"It's time." She told Carver. He jumped at the site of the silver tool, but nodded. "Once we exchange blood, we'll be able to continue until we finish."

"Okay." Carver replied as Shaundi straddled his lap again.  
She took the knife and pressed it into Carver's forearm until she broke the skin. He tensed up and groaned in pain. "It's all for you. Just ride with the pain..." He said through his teeth.  
Shaundi pulled the knife down to Carver's wrist; blood poured out, turning his arm red. She then took the knife to herself, cut a gash in her palm. She pressed her bleeding hand onto Carver's wound and it instantly started to cool. He closed his eyes, feeling as if Shaundi had cured his pain, even though he was still tense; he sighed.

Shaundi took her hand off Carver's arm and both their cuts immediately healed.  
"Now you do the same to me." Shaundi instructed him breathlessly.  
Carver took the knife from her and pressed the blade into her forearm and broke her skin. The blood started to run down her arm and Shaundi's body started to move spasmaticly; she gasped. Hesitating about inflicting pain on himself, Carver pressed the blade against his palm and whimpered as he cut himself slowly and shakily, then taking his bloody hand and holding Shaundi's arm. After a few seconds, Shaundi tensed up, much like Carver did, but she sounded like she was enjoying it. "Oh, YES!"

Carver let go of Shaundi's arm and the wounds healed again.  
Once Shaundi dismounted Carver's lap and lied down on her back, he took the hint and pushed himself inside her; it was like putting himself into something full of ice for about two seconds until she got warmer.

"OH! Shaundi! My God!" Carver cried.  
Shaundi gasped at the sudden feeling of penetration.

She dug her fingernails into his shoulders, drawing more blood.  
She wrapped her legs around his waist, only after they found a rhythm.  
Her body started to tense up from her shoulders to her legs. Knowing what it meant, Carver begged her to hold on for a few more minutes until he tensed up also. With a final cry of sweet release, they were done.

"Wow." Was all Carver could say as he looked Shaundi, lying beside him.

"We are one, Carver." Shaundi spoke. "My abilities will be strongest when you're near me."

"So does that mean I have to go with you everywhere?"

"Yes." She breathed.

"I'm fine with that." He replied, as Shaundi moved over to him, laying her head on his chest.

...

**Note from the author:**

**Okay, if that part you just read disturbed you, I'll have to say there will be 2 more like that...sorry...i just think it must be done!  
Also...I SUCK at writing things like this...but I LOVE to try. LOL. **


	9. Enraged Assault

Chapter 9: Enraged Assault

Meanwhile.  
Fraust and Ravess hoisted Dark Ace off his skimmer and started to take him to the infirmary.  
"Aerrow. Do me a favour?"

"Huh?" Aerrow responded. Was Dark Ace losing too much blood, he could have sworn Dark Ace was being polite to him.

"Go untie your sister for me while I'm getting stitched up..."

"Oh...okay."  
Aerrow went over to Dark Ace and Keira Marie's cabin and opened the door, sure enough; there was Keira Marie; her hands tied above her head, her knees and ankles wrapped in rope. Dark Ace clearly neglected to gag her this time, for she had nothing stopping her freedom of speech.

"Aerrow! Where is he? I'll kill the son of a witch!"

"Uh...He's in the infirmary, Keira..." Aerrow said, releasing his sister.

Her attitude changed from raging banshee to caring nymph again.  
"What? What happened? Is he okay?"

Aerrow answered.  
"Weeper attack. He's in pretty bad shape, but it could have been worse."

"The Weeper got him! Oh my GOD!"

"Keira, I understand how you're feeling-"

"Aerrow...answer me this..." Keira Marie stated, her bright blue eyes looking into Aerrow's spirit. "Did you witness the attack?"

"No."

"Have you _ever_ seen a Weeper attack a person?"

"N-No."

"Then you don't understand."  
Aerrow nodded and followed Keira outside and walked with her to the infirmary.

"I see your walking is improving, Av-...Keira." Aerrow said to her to change the subject.

"Yeah, Cliodne's been working on my leg to speed up the recovery." Keira Marie answered. "That Cliodne is something else. No-one is as caring as she is."

"Yeah." Aerrow agreed. "It doesn't matter who you are. If you need help, Cliodne will give it to you."

"But I wasn't always that way, Aerrow."  
Cliodne walked out of the infirmary with the rest of the Storm Hawks following her. "I did deny someone shelter once."

Piper couldn't believe it.  
"What happened, Cliodne?"

"She was evil at some point." Finn accused.

"No. I wasn't ever on the side of darkness, Finn." Cliodne reassured.

"Then what happened?" Piper repeated.

Keira Marie was interested in knowing something else.  
"Where's Dark Ace?"

"In there, Keira." Cliodne gestured to the cabin behind her. "He's lucky. He's the only man...only _human being_ to endure a Weeper attack and live to tell about it. Instead of panic, try to escape and even bat back at the Weeper, as your troops would do, he stayed calm and protected his upper chest and throat with his arms."

Keira Marie trotted passed Cliodne and went into the cabin. The Storm Hawks sat with Cliodne. She started her story  
"It was the 1600s, 1694 to be exact...Terra Salemdor.  
"Shaundi and I were best friends and she's just been named the first female Sky Knight and first magical Sky Knight. Oh, that was a proud time for us Sorcerites."

"So what went wrong?" Junko asked.

"Shaundi was accused with the man slaughter of our mentor. She was labelled a _dangerous_ witch and her immediate capture was ordered. Shaundi's squadron, three other Sorcerites named Lambert Mada, Cristeen Falcone, and Noah Usbest hid her and were charged with helping her escape. All three of them were dragged to the Salemdor square and hanged.  
"Shaundi came to me that night in tears. She begged me to hide her and she told me over and over that she was innocent, as were Lambert, Cristeen and Noah. I believed her, but I sent her away fearing that I would suffer the same fate as her squadron. She was on the run for months before she was finally captured on Terra Midoria and brought back home to be branded as a Screamer and burned."

"If they wanted Shaundi to die, why did they keep her from dying by branding her as a Screamer?" Piper asked.

"They wanted Shaundi to suffer, so they wanted to keep her from entering the afterlife. If she passed, she would be with Lambert again...Poor girl was in love with him. She was branded and burned that night." Cliodne continued, her eyes tearing. "I remember everything so clearly...Her screams of pain, her cries for help to her family...and to me...Even the smell of her burning flesh..." She shook her head. "Shaundi never started to killing sprees until she was found innocent after her death...However, the actually one to blame for the manslaughter was never found."

Stork recalled something his cousin had said before.  
"Hang on, Cli...Weren't _you_ the one to blame?"

Cliodne broke down.  
"Yes! It was all my fault and I let my best friend die in my place because I was too much of a coward!"

"YOU GOT THAT RIGHT, YOU COWARDLY WASTE!" Shaundi's voice boomed as she appeared in a red mist.  
Shaundi was just finding out that Cliodne had let her die to save her own life, and frankly, she was angry at her.

Cliodne stood, almost hiding the Storm Hawks from Shaundi.  
"Shaundi-"

"Why, Cliodne? Why?"

"Shaundi, you don't understand...I was a frightened child..."

"I was also a frightened child, Cliodne!" Shaundi shrieked.

"Shaundi, I'm so sorry! I never wanted-"

Shaundi threw her head back and laughed.  
"Oh, you're sorry, are you? Sorry? SORRY? Does sorry take back what happened? Does sorry bring Cristeen and Noah back? Well? DOES IT?"

Cliodne kept her cool and attempted to calm Shaundi.  
"Shaundi, please calm down..."

"No, Cliodne! I have no intention of calming down!" Shaundi bellowed as some Talons and magicals started to come out of cabins and hiding spots. "You should be dead, not me!"

"I understand that you miss Lambert-"

"Ha! Please! Hellah has returned him to me..." Shaundi sighed.

"You honestly think Carver is the reincarnation of Lambert?"  
Cliodne sounded like she was laughing at the idea, but she also agreed.  
Shaundi nodded. "Well, if you think that-"

"Enough from you, _Cli._" Shaundi scowled. "I'll ensure you and all your mortal _pets_ die!"

"Shaundi, please don't do this!" Piper called, stepping beside Cliodne. "All these people you're hurting and all the people you're gonna hurt, they don't have to go through this...They don't have to die..."

"I didn't have to die..." Shaundi replied, her stare making Piper shiver.

"Listen...We're sorry you had to go through what you did, Shaundi." Aerrow started. "But that age is over now. Let it go!"  
Shaundi looked insulted. Aerrow continued. "Let us just jab something through your heart and we'll put you to rest."

Shaundi threw her head back and laughed again.  
"You honestly think after all the hard work I've done...after all the things I've had to do for the past 300 years, I'll just let you _put me to rest_?"

"Uhh...Yeah?"

"HA-HA-HA-HA! You mortals are as stupid as you are weak?"

"Mortals are not weak nor are they stupid!" Cliodne shouted, it was the first time anyone had heard her raise her voice.

"We'll see..." Shaundi growled as she disappeared and the camp went deathly silent.

"Storm Hawks...Barricade yourselves in the infirmary with Keira Marie and Dark Ace..." Cliodne stated.

"No, Cli." Aerrow objected. "We're not going anywhere. Whatever Shaundi's gonna do, we'll help you stop it."

Cliodne smiled and nodded.  
After a few minutes, the silence was interrupted by growls, shrieks and squeals. A Talon named Luna counted 10 Weepers and clutched her staff, as did Piper and Cliodne. Aerrow looked around, so many Talons were shaking. As the first 9 Weepers attacked the group, The Storm Hawks dived and Cliodne and Gail disappeared. 9 Talons were tackled, Luna among them. It was that moment where Aerrow recalled what Keira Marie had said to him, and now he truly understood, he watched the 9 Weeper's scratch and slash the helpless Talons and scream like psychopaths in the process, blood spattered everywhere on the ground and the Weeper's red and green rags. They were Talons themselves at one point!  
Luna, the last Talon that hadn't suffered a bloody death tried to fight the blue haired Weeper back while screaming for help.

"AH! IT HURTS! PLEASE GET HER OFF ME! OH GOD! SOMEONE HELP! GET HER OFF ME! GET HER OFF ME! OH GOD! GET...HER...OFF...ME!"  
A vehicle screeched its tires and a dark haired Talon named Shane was at the attached machine gun.

"Storm Hawks! Move!" He yelled at them and the group cleared the square, hiding behind the nearest cabin.  
The Storm Hawks met Shane on Terra Salemdor. He was a very shy man who was deadly with a weapon. He was the only mortal in history to escape Shaundi, which he did on Salemdor and he was the brother of two other Talons; Violet and a Sergeant named Donna, who the Storm Hawks had heard of but not met. Shane cocked the weapon and started to open fire, crowning all 9 of the Weeper's several times before they hit the ground.

The Storm Hawks came out of hiding when Shane jumped out of the vehicle, followed by Violet, who was driving. They all gathered around Luna, who was covered in her own blood and shaking due to shock, no words came out of her mouth, just blood and gurgling. She was dying. Aerrow just thought, that's how bad Dark Ace could have been. Shane put a hand on Luna's neck as she drew her last breath and joined the other 8 Talons in the afterlife.

Piper let a tear fall from her eye.  
Finn took a look around.  
"Wasn't there 10 Weepers?"  
Just then, the last Weeper, a blonde one, stepped out of hiding, growling and claws showing. She wore white clothes, clearly a dress at some point and on her left wrist, she wore a golden bracelet that had _Ivy_ engraved in the flat side.  
"Oh my god..." Finn gasped. "It's my sister!"


	10. Don't Fear The Weeper

**Note from the author:  
Please note that Bryce belongs to SexySkyla66 and I'm using him in the story because of a RP idea we had^^(with her permission of course).  
Also thanks for the all hits, but more reviews would be much appreciated. **

Chapter 10: Don't Fear the Weeper

"Finn, quick." Shane whispered. "What's your sisters name?"

"Ivy." Finn answered.

Shane approached the growling Weeper. "Ivy?" She kept growling, but showed no warning sign of attack. "Ivy."  
As Shane moved in closer, Ivy inched away until finally, she just fled; her clawed hands covering her face.

"Shaundi is calling her back." Cliodne stated as her and Gail reappeared.

"How did Ivy get here?" Finn asked, overwhelmed with shock. "Why is she a Weeper?"

"Shaundi is one of the most ruthless individuals to ever walk the Atmos, Finn." Gail said. "I sensed from Ivy that she was fledging still. Shaundi turned her Weeper just recently."

"Does that mean we can save her?" Finn asked Cliodne anxiously.

Cliodne had a sad face on.  
"Sadly, no. You see, when a human body is bonded with a Deadling sprite, the body becomes horribly mutated, as you've seen and even dependant on the sprite for life."

"So Ivy...All those Talons, all those innocent people are stuck they way they are forever?" Piper was mortified.

"In a way, yes." Cliodne answered. "The bodies are trapped in the horrid form they have, but the person they are is still trapped deep inside the sub-consciousness of the creature. It is possible to bring them back if you somehow remind them who they are before they kill you."

"I knew Ivy better than Finn did." A young man with dark hair and green eyes, dressed in blue, black and silver said. "I could probably remind her who she is."

"Who are you?" Finn asked.

"My name is Bryce. I've been friends with Ivy since childhood." He answered. "I'll go after her, I know where most of the Weepers hang out."

"My boy, keep in mind that if Ivy attacks, it's likely that more Weepers will hear her attack screeches and come to aid their sister." Cliodne said. "You should bring some with you."

"No. Ivy always knew me as doing things on my own." Bryce objected.

"You're a brave young man." Gail said.

"My entire family was attacked and killed by Shaundi and her Chokers." Bryce stated. "I figured that if there was time for revenge, this was it. I'll bring back Ivy and Shaundi will have one Weeper less."

...

Bryce arrived at an old sugar mill on the other side of Glaisias. Just as he though, the perimeter was crawling with Weepers, they even cried with their hands over their faces when they walked around.  
Shaundi couldn't be right in the head to do these things to people, Bryce thought.  
He manuvered his way around walking and sitting Weepers and made it into the mill without injury or stress. While he was closing the doors to a quiet and empty hallway, he noted that out of all the Weepers, not only were the majority of them Talons at one point, among them, there were no Merbs. What was Shaundi doing with the Merbs? Was she leaving them alone for some odd reason?

Bryce turned around and bumped right into a walking Weeper with violet hair. The Talon Weeper whirled around and raised her hands to strike, but Bryce quickly grabbed a small pack of sugar out of his pocket and spoke to himself the 4 steps to getting out of a Weeper attack to himself as she acted them.  
"Step 1. Get the Weepers attention.  
Step 2. Take bag of sugar and rip off the top completely.  
Step 3. Throw bag of sugar on the ground."  
Bryce threw the bag on the ground and the Weepers dead eyes shined as she dropped to her knees and picked up the bag. She even lapped up the sugar that was on the dirty floor.  
"Step 4. Flee as quickly as possible."

Bryce fled down the hall as the Weeper ate the sugar by handfuls.  
"Mmmm...Nummy." She spoke.

...

Bryce opened a door and found the mess hall. There was weeping coming from nearby and he followed it. When Bryce walked into another Weeper, this one with brown hair and not a Talon, he took another bag of sugar and repeated what he did before. Like the last time, it worked like a charm.  
The Weeper happily munched on the sugar and hummed.

Bryce followed the weeping to the garage. The walls were festooned with plastic that seemed to be shredded, as if a Weeper walked into it and freaked herself out.  
He opened the door to what was clearly a washroom and looked into the darkness. He saw the silhouette of a weeper; her white clothes were visible clearly. Bryce remembered that Weeper Ivy was wearing white clothes and all Weepers had a similar cry, but this one sounded like Ivy.

"Ivy?" He asked. "Is that you?"

Bryce flicked on the light and Ivy looked at him. Her eyes flushed from pale to red. She shrieked and bolted forward, jolting Bryce's flight-or-fight response; flight. He slammed the door, but Ivy started to tear through it with her claws.  
"Wow...You've sure gotten strong, Ivy." Bryce said innocently to the Weeper as she moaned in rage and continued to splinter the door.

When the door was gone, Ivy bolted towards Bryce again and tackled him. When she started to slash at his chest, Bryce was in pain, but had a good way of hiding it.  
After a few minutes of slashing, but no fear coming from her victim, the Weeper stopped and cocked her head.  
"You're not...scared?" She asked as her eyes flushed pale again. She could talk when she was cooled down.

"Was I supposed to be?" Bryce responded. "I mean, it hurts...Ouch...But you're not scary or anything, Ivy."

"Bryce?"

"Yeah, it's me. Is that you, Ivy?"

"What's left of me." The blonde replied.

"No...You're still you." Bryce said.

"Really?" Ivy said in a non-believing tone, showing her claws. "I doubt that."

"No, I mean, look at you. You're not attacking me anymore." Bryce said.

"You freed me from the mindless killing, and all it took was not to fear me?"

"I guess so." Bryce stated. "Hey, I'll bring you back to the Glaisias camp. Everyone will know you're friendly again."

When Bryce and Ivy started to walk towards the exit, a brown haired Spitter, wearing a worn yellow tee-shirt and jean shorts broke through the roof and ambushed them.  
Bryce had never seen a Spitter until that moment. He looked at it.  
"That is the scariest freaking thing I've ever seen in my whole life."

The Spitter attacked Bryce, but Ivy stepped in front of it, claws out. Ivy cried her Weeper scream and her eyes flushed red again.


	11. Why The Weeper Cries

Chapter 11: Why the Weeper Cries

Ivy attacked the Spitter and took her down. As Ivy slashed away at her chest and face; the Deadling induced rage forced her to ignore the acid burning her arms and hands. The Spitter died confused, to as why her own kin was attacking her instead of the mortal.  
As Bryce watched Ivy tenderize the already dead body, but choosing not to stop her until she was finished, something cold and wet wrapped around him and started to drag him towards the back door.  
Bryce spun his head around and saw a green haired, male Talon Choker dragging him away, coughing, hacking and making other choking noises. He grabbed Bryce once he was close enough and he yelped towards Ivy.  
"Ivy! HELP ME!"

The Weeper stopped her frenzy and looked towards the Choker and Bryce. As she screeched while running towards them, Bryce got nervous because her eyes were still glowing red. Was it Ivy or was it the Weeper?  
Bryce closed his eyes, and Ivy whipped around him to slash the arm of the Choker. A puff of green smoke came from the claw marks. The Choker released his grip on Bryce and he walked forwards as much as he could, but he was still bound by the tongue. Ivy noticed this and severed the tongue with two claws. Blood sprayed on Bryce's back and all over the Choker and Ivy's tattered clothes. The fresh blood was darker in color than the old, Bryce noted.  
Smoke and blood flew as the two strongest of Shaundi's battalion brawled in a barrage of coughs, screeches, hacks and cries. Ivy slashed and the Choker batted back at her.

The reason the Choker had his/her long tongue to hold his/her victims in place as other Deadling hosts did the killing was because he/she had very soft hands that weren't very effective at hitting, so Ivy didn't really feel any pain, or at least not as much as he was feeling.  
The Choker's entire body expelled a cloud of smoke as he died.  
Ivy coughed and waved away the smoke, as everyone else did whenever this occurred.

Bryce trotted over to Ivy, wiping the last of the saliva from his clothes.  
"Ivy. You fought you own kin to save your friend."

"Yeah...I guess I did." Ivy stated, her eyes lightening again. There was only a slight ring on pale red around the iris of her eyes now. It defined them well; Bryce was starting to fear necrophilia.

"You see? You're still you...Just more...creepy looking." Bryce said, trying to put it nicely. But Ivy started to cry. "Oh, I'm sorry Ivy! I'll rephrase it."

"No, No. It's not you, Bryce." Ivy sobbed. "It's what she did to me. I randomly cry, doesn't matter if I'm asleep or awake." She wiped a tear from her eye with the side of her hand. "I'm in so much pain."

...

Ivy explained to Bryce the origin of why the Weeper cries and he thought the entire group should hear. He brought her back to the camp and after a heartfelt reunion between Ivy and her brother, Bryce stood up.  
"Everyone, Ivy has something to share with us."

"The Weeper can talk?" A Talon spoke to another one.

"I thought all they could do was rip, tear, cry, scream and kill." The other replied.

Bryce scowled at the two as Ivy started her statement.  
"Mortals...Do you know why the Deadling possessed to what we do?" After a silence, she went on. "I'm afraid that only a Choker can tell you why they cough. Only a Spitter can tell you why they spit acid. Only a Jumper can tell you why they violate the back of your head and steer you into your own demise. But I am a Weeper, so I can tell you why we cry.  
"When she transformed me into what I am standing here before you, the worst part of it was the pain in my hands as my claws formed. The bones in my fingers expanded and sharpened until they literally broke through my fingertips, making my claws. My vision became inferred, all I see is your body heat. I remember how many different colors of skin there is...But I might soon forget. Our skin heats up so dramatically, we rip our clothes to relieve ourselves of the fever. It never works. We cry because of the constant pain and misery we are in. But I suppose there is a bright side to it...Our cries are your warning that we are near, as are the Choker's coughing and the Jumper's laughing.  
"Why do we kill you? I solemnly swear that no Weeper, Choker, Deadling Possessed of any kind mean to kill who they kill."

"It must be true." Bryce said. "Ivy was just fine once I calmed her down."

"Yes, Bryce." Ivy exclaimed. "We are just as we were when we are calm, despite a few new quirks, such as constant crying and the horrid mutations. When a mortal is near, Shaundi has arranged for the Deadling to take over us completely."

"That explains how your eyes change color." Aerrow stated.

Ivy nodded.  
"Believe me. When I slashed apart my own friends, it was scary. I saw what I was doing, but I had no control." She started to weep.

"She's with Shaundi." A female Talon yelled out as she stood up. "She needs to be shot in the forehead like the rest of the monsters that witch and her stooge are sending all over the Atmos."

"Hey, that was un-"

Bryce was interrupted by Keira Marie, who spoke out to the Talon.  
"Wait! Zoey! What did you say?"

"Shaundi is sending the Weepers, Chokers, Spitters...and some new ones and zombies...That's right. I said _zombies_! She's sending them all over the mortal Atmos."

"Since when? How do you know?" Dark Ace asked her.

"She started sending them out yesterday. My cousin radioed me from Mesa right before a Weeper tore her apart." She glared at Ivy. "I knew it was a Weeper, 'cause what else screams bloody murder as they kill."

"It's true." Ivy said. "It's another effect of the Deadling."

"She's sending them all over the mortal Atmos?" Piper was horrified. "_Our_ Atmos?"

"We're doomed." Stork exclaimed under his breath.

"Super doomed." Star added.

"Double doomed." Night went on.

"Super double doomed." Moon finished.

"Nah, nah, nah." A Talon named Virginia stated, standing up on the roof of her cabin.  
"Listen everyone." Everyone turned towards her. She looked no older than 18, 19, maybe 20 and had bottom jaw length jet black hair and blue eyes. Her skin was finely tanned, just like Keira Marie's.  
"Now, when I'm possessed by a Deadling or two and I become one of Shaundi's army, she can order me around and make me her bitch...But until that day comes...I'm not going out without a fight. We can resist against what she's doing, people! If there's one thing movies and video games have taught me, it's that when zombies attack. GET THE BOOM STICK!" She was an excellent public speaker; she got some other Talons to follow.

A young Talon named Cody shot up.  
"Virginia's right! There's only one way to kill a zombie!"

Everyone looked as Dark Ace and Keira Marie came out of the armoury with a create of weapons, shot guns in hand.  
Dark Ace smiled. "Yes...Only one way." He stated. "And that way is..."

Keira Marie finished while chocking her own shot gun. Aerrow's jaw dropped because he never thought he would hear that one word come from his sweet and innocent sister.  
"BLOW IT'S FUCKING HEAD OFF!"

The entire camp must have cheered, excluding the Storm Hawks, Ivy and Cliodne. 


	12. Vampires and Lycanthropes

Chapter 12: Vampires and Lycanthropes

"You mortals are foolish and reckless." Cliodne thundered, as she _flew_ up to the roof of the armoury. "You cannot fight Shaundi with merely guns and weapons."

"Then how can we stop her?" Piper asked.

"There's a profoundly small chance you even can, my child." Cliodne answered sadly. "I sense that Shaundi has already taken half of your mortal Terras and her army of undead will over whelm even all of us combined with the survivors of the Mortal Atmos."

"There's only one witch with enough magic to even have a fraction of a chance of saving our world." Ravess said.

"Vixxy." Finn stated.

"Without her we don't have a snowball's chance in hell." Gail spoke.

"But she's dead." Piper said.

"No, she's not." Cliodne exclaimed.

Everyone seemed to have the same look, even Ivy. "She's not?"

"No...But asking Hecate to give her back before she wakes from her coma herself will be a hard procedure." The Druidess explained. "A ritual that must be done on Terra Midoria, at the memorial of GunWitch Laylah the Great and Oracle Clint."

"Laylah and Clint." Piper stated. "Laylah became the GunWitch at the age of 23 in 1438, her Oracle, Clint became hers in 1440 and they both died in 1503 when Clint was impaled by the murderous vampire, Val the Huntress. The mortal Atmos was the mercy of the vampires until their daughter, Ginny the Wild became the GunWitch in 1510 at the age of 20 and drove them back to Terra Dota."

"Well done, Piper. Very well done indeed." Cliodne exclaimed. "I am most impressed."

"You're well on your way to being a Demonologist there, girl." Virginia said.

Piper turned to her. "Are you a Demonologist?"

"Me? Oh no." Virginia answered. "Demonology has never been my thing, too many books to read. I'm a fighter."

...

After a long discussion that lasted until sunset, it was decided by Cliodne, Dark Ace, Keira Marie, Ravess, Snipe and Fraust (being a famous Demonologist) that Vixxy would be brought to the memorial and brought back to life.  
Fraust seemed against the idea for an odd reason.  
"Um, who says we need the GunWitch back?" She asked.

"Fraust, the GunWitch is the most powerful witch in the mortal and magical Atmos alike." Dark Ace stated. "You of all should know that."

"Of course I knew that." Fraust snapped, she was clearly angry, but refused to show her teeth like most would when growling. She put on her sunglasses over her golden eyes and left the cabin.

Cliodne went on.  
"I must go alone with Vixxy's body."

"Why? Shouldn't you need at least her overbearing Storm Hawks oracle to go with you?" Ravess asked. "Or even her parents?"

"It's not required I do that." Cliodne answered.

Just then, Virginia ran into the room.  
"My brother just radioed!" She cried. "Zombies are attacking Terra Nimbus!"

"Zombies? Like _zombie_ zombies?" Dark Ace asked, in shock. He didn't really think Shaundi could make zombies, he and Keira Marie were only using zombies as something to describe her and the Deadling possessed.

Virginia nodded.  
"He says it's like _Dawn of the Dead_ over there!"  
Virginia didn't actually know Shaundi was capable of making actual flesh eating zombies either. Virginia went on: "We tried to get our rides ready to go to Nimbus to lend a hand...but..."

"But? Speak of Vir." Ravess stated.

"Every single ride in the camp is destroyed!"

Everyone was shocked.  
"What?"

"Internally, the engines are sabatosed." Virginia explained. "Someone with knowledge of engines must have done it...Someone is not on our side everyone."

"Cliodne." Ravess addressed the Druidess. "Do you think Shaundi could have sent a spy to prevent us from getting back to our part of the Atmos?"

"It's not above her to do that." Cliodne replied. "Most likely, yes." She paused. "Mortals...I have a confession to make." Cliodne sat on air.

"Magic is starting to scare me again." Dark Ace stated to Keira Marie.

"It's most likely that Shaundi had made an alliance with the vampires." Cliodne stated. "One of your own, a Talon was killed the other night." She went on even though the Storm Hawks were gathered at the door.

Talon Commanders swarmed angrily around Cliodne.  
"What is wrong with you?"

"How could you not tell us?"

"We're losing men faster than the we did in the Great War of Peace and you don't tell us of our latest loss?"

Cliodne was not fazed by the angry mortals.  
"I am sorry." She said. "I do not have the foggiest idea of why I kept such information from you."

There was a silence and Piper spoke up, coming further into the cabin. "The question is who sabatosed out rides and why."

"No...The question is should we let you kids be involved in this." Keira Marie stated.

Aerrow snorted.  
"So the Cyclonians are gonna save the Atmos and we're supposed to sit at the side lines and do nothing? What's wrong with this picture?"

"The only reason we're saving the Atmos is because this Shaundi bitch is trying to steal my job." A soft voice said from the door on the other side of the cabin. Master Cyclonis revealed herself. "It's my job to conquer at Atmos! MINE!" She cried standing in between Dark Ace and Keira Marie.

...

After nightfall, Cliodne gathered everyone in the camp up.

"Everyone...I have...unfortunate news..." She started. "There is a vampire among us."  
Everyone in the group talked among themselves about it. A Talon raised his hand.

"My sister and I are Lycanthropes and we never sensed even a hint of a vampire!" He said.

Piper turned to Violet. "Lycanthropes?"

"Werewolves." Violet replied.

"Really? Wow, werewolves."

Cliodne answered the Talons statement.  
"I have reason to believe that Shaundi put some sort of charm on the vampire to prevent you from smelling it."

"Werewolves can _smell_ vampires?" Finn asked Violet.

"Yeah. See, the vampires and the lycanthropes have been at war for centuries." Violet explained as Cliodne went on herself. "Vampires can smell lycanthropes and lycanthropes can smell vampires. To them, the other has a distinct sent."

"So the Lycan..." Aerrow wasn't sure how to exactly pronounce the word. "Werewolves are on our side and the vampires are on Shaundi's side?"

"We always have been." A Talon woman standing behind Aerrow said. She had light brown hair, dark skin and golden eyes, almost farrel. "You mortals hunt us as much as you hunt vampires when in reality...we are protecting you from the vampires."

"Who are you?" Piper asked.

"My name is Tonya." She said. "I, like many other Talons, am a Lycanthrope."

"Cool." Finn said. "A werewolf."

"Wait a minute, wait a minute." Aerrow said. "If a whole whack of Talons are not mortal...then why didn't you just rip us apart ages ago?"

Tonya looked at Aerrow.  
"Master Cyclonis had almost ordered us to come out of hiding when she found out...but someone stopped her."

"Who?"

"Tell me, Aerrow..." Tonya said. "Which of the Talons would care about you?"

Aerrow's eyes moved to Keira Marie, who was in Dark Aces arms. An image that still bothered Aerrow.

...

Piper noticed that Fraust was trying to slip away from the talk about vampires and recognizing them. She slipped away from the group and followed her.


	13. Fraust's Secret

Chapter 13: Fraust's Secret 

Meanwhile, as Cliodne went on with her speech, Shaundi was impressed at how fast the mortals had exorcised Fraust's secret.  
"Hey...At least they don't know it _is_ Fraust yet." Carver said to Shaundi right before she threw a stone at his head. "Ow. What was that for?"

"Being you." Shaundi replied. "Clearly you don't realize the seriousness of this whole predicament."

"I don't see what the big deal is." Carver went on. "Can't Fraust just call you if she gets into trouble and can't you just poof yourself over there and kick some ass?"

"Well, yes, but that's not half of the point." Shaundi responded, her back still turned. "The point is...If Fraust doesn't disable all means of transportation for the mortals, some of them can return to their Atmos and put a more than one notch in my army's production path."

"Seems to me that you need to go to one of the Terras and make more of your Deadling thingies." Carver said.

Shaundi turned her head towards him.  
"Carver, you idiotic genius!" She said gleefully.

"Does that make sense?" Carver asked. "Idiotic genius, you said?"

"Come, Carver." Shaundi said, making her exit. "Take me to the Terra with the Merbians! I have an idea..."

...

Piper followed Fraust around and saw her talking to a young Talon girl.  
"What was that, Miss Trusko?" The Talon asked innocently.

Fraust drew closer to the girl. It was dark; the only source of light for Piper to see and stay hidden was the moonlight and some light from the cabin windows shining on Fraust and the girl.  
"I said...You'll have to do."  
Fraust grabbed the girl by both arms and pulled her close to her. She was doing something to her neck. Kissing it, Piper thought. Piper then saw all sources of life leave the Talon's brown eyes and after about a minute, Fraust let the body drop, blood dripping from her lips and chin. Piper saw her sharp teeth as Fraust sighed: "That's much better." Her eyes became brighter.

Piper covered her mouth and shook in terror on the other side of the corner. She had to tell everyone that Fraust was the vampire. She crept backwards around to the other side until she bumped into someone.  
She closed her eyes and turned slowly. She opened her eyes and saw Keira Marie standing before her.

"Piper. What are you doing all the way over here..."

"Keira!" Piper wheezed in post trauma. "It's Fraust! She's the-"  
Piper was cut off when Fraust seized Keira Marie from behind and bit down on the pressure point in between her shoulder and neck. Piper and Keira Marie both started screaming; Piper in terror and Keira Marie in both terror and pain. Fraust ripped Keira Marie's black collar necklace off her neck, revealing a scar that ran straight across her throat, Piper gasped.

The sound of the screaming brought help. Dark Ace hit Fraust over the back of the neck with his fist making her twitch and drop Keira Marie, who twitched and thrusted spasmaticly on the dirt ground.  
Aerrow dove to his sister, who started to froth at the mouth in a systematic seizure and Piper ran around Fraust and Dark Ace to plop down by him.  
"Cliodne!" Aerrow called as the Druidess sat on Keira Marie's other side. "What's happening?"

"Her body is trying to fight the virus." Cliodne answered.

"And if she can't fight it off?" Piper asked.

"Then let's hope Dark Ace is a fan of Twilight." Ivy said.

"There is a very good chance Keira's body will be able to fight." Cliodne said right before Keira Marie stopped moving. Cliodne picked her up. "I'll take her to the infirmary before the fever sets in."  
She departed, the Storm Hawks joined in the close in on Fraust.  
"It was you who wrecked our rides, wasn't it, Fraust?" Violet asked, clearly upset that her idol turned out to be what she was.

"Guilty as charged." Fraust said, putting her hands on her chest. Blood on the sides of her lips was starting to dry.

"Why?" Piper asked.

"Why? Why? We vampires have been taking hell from you mortals for too long!" Fraust shouted, baring her teeth, now surprisingly clean. "Shaundi is the future. She will lead us to triumph! Vampires, Dyrads and Sorcerites will rule both Atmos'!"

"Not if we have anything to say about it!" Aerrow said.

Fraust started to get nervous when she looked over and saw Stork holding a stake and mallet. She fled.  
"Shoot!" Dark Ace said he lead the pursuit. "Vampires are notorious fast runners."

"How she can run in 5 inch heels, I'll never know." Ravess stated.

Everyone rounded the corner to the outskirts of the camp to find Fraust, but she wasn't alone...She was accompanied by Shaundi, Carver and Domiwick, he and Piper automatically locked hateful gaze.  
"Domiwick." Piper growled. "I should have known you'd soon sink low enough to roll with Shaundi."

Domiwick had no comment. Shaundi did.  
"Storm Hawks, Cyclonian army." She started. "I come with an intention of detente. Step out of the way and leave the Atmos' to me and your deaths with be quick and painless."  
All the got for replies was sour looks from the several Mortals before her. They all stayed silent, because they were at a disadvantage; a number of mortals, humans, one Wallop and three Merbians against two mortal men, a dark sorceress and a vampire.

"Shaundi..." Piper finally spoke, walking over to the much taller and more powerful woman and grabbing her cold hand as if she were Piper's older sister or mother.

"Piper, what are you doing?" Aerrow asked, readying his weapons in case someone attacked her.

"Aerrow..." Piper paused and then turned back to Shaundi. "Don't do this. There are other ways to make yourself heard." Piper gathered up all the courage she could to show such a dangerous individual. "When I look at you all I see is a lonesome woman who has been wronged to a great level and blinded by her rage and pain-"  
Piper got cut off when Shaundi back handed her across the face.

"Don't talk to me about being wronged and blind, you filthy little whelp!"

Aerrow ran to Shaundi, blades drawn.  
"Don't you ever touch her again!"

"You mortals and your crystals..." Shaundi growled. "Let's see your crystals save you when my army overwhelms your Atmos."

"Shaundi's been getting creative with the uhh...things she makes." Carver stated, making Shaundi glance in his direction.

"Carver...You realize that the only reason Shaundi keeps you around is that she think you're the reincarnation of her past lover, Lambert Mada." Dark Ace said.

Shaundi drew and arm back and then sent him clear through a nearby tree with a knockback spell.  
"Don't listen to him, Carver." Shaundi purred. "You know I love you. You gave me my power back."

Cliodne appeared.  
"Carver! You stupid mortal! You didn't just doom your own world to win the affection of an affectionless murderer?"

Carver didn't answer, but Shaundi slapped Cliodne across the face with a spell.  
"How dare you!" She thundered. "It's your fault I'm a murderer!"

"Shaundi...It was your choice to murder...Yours, not mine." Cliodne said in her calm tone again.

Shaundi's eyes glowed in rage and her hair started to blow in its own wind. Cliodne prepared for battle.  
But Shaundi never showed any indication of wishing to fight; instead she let a female Merbian crawl out from behind her little posse. She was growling like an angry dog with a cut throat and crawling on all fours.  
Everyone's eyes widened in shock and terror.  
"Shaundi..." Stork almost whispered. "What have you done to that Merbian?"

"She is a Merbian no more." Fraust said, gesturing down to the growling monster, drooling while she made her deep gurgling growls. "This...is Shaundi's latest Deadling possessed..."

"I called it...A Ripper..." Shaundi said. "Would you like to know why?"  
Nobody had time to reply before the possessed Merbian lunged forward and flew through the air, landing on Violet. The Demonologist cried in pain as the Merbian started to rip and tear at her flesh, throwing flesh and blood into the air, making scream-like roars in the process.


	14. Simple Demonology

Chapter 14: Simple Demonology 

There was a loud CRACK and everyone screamed in horror as the Ripper held two of Violet's ribs in her hands.  
Shane heard Violet's cries for help and fulfilled his brotherly duties, running over and shaving the Ripper off his sister, who rolled on her side and gasped in shock and the site of her own blood surrounding her and she fainted when she saw what the Ripper was holding.

"C'mon, c'mon, c'mon." Shane taunted. "You want a piece of me? Come and get it!"

The Ripper dropped the rib bones and crouched down to all fours again and growled her cut-throated growl, indicating she was about to attack. Shane dropped all his weapons and took off her gloves, throwing them to the ground.

"Oh, this'll be fun to watch." Shaundi grimaced. "Too bad we can't stay."

The Ripper leapt towards Shane and the Storm Hawks rushed in to help, but Shane told them to take Violet to Cliodne. Aerrow and Finn grabbed Violets arms as Shane wrestled with the Ripper to keep it away from them. When the Storm Hawks took a look around once Violet was on her feet, bleeding out and whimpering, Shaundi, Fraust, Carver and Domiwick had vanished. As Shane continued to fight valiantly with the snarling possessed Merbian that clawed mercilessly at his arms, Aerrow and Finn walked Violet away. With every step she took, blood would drip to the ground, leaving a trail of crimson gore.

Shane rolled the Ripper over until he was able to sit on the creature and punch her in the face repeatedly. With every punch, the Ripper's snarls got louder and angrier until Shane produced to pistols and shot her in the head, ending the fight.  
He then looked over at Fraust, who was kneeling over Dark Ace's unconscious body, staring hungrily at his neck. Shane jumped up, but it was much too late for him to stop Fraust before she bit his Commander, however, when Fraust's fangs were inches away from her prey, Shane hid his eyes and something blunt met Fraust's temple. The vampire went flying to the side and landed on her back, looking up with a hiss. Keira Marie hissed back, holding a golf club over her shoulder like you hold a golf club that you'd just swung. Aerrow and Piper were right beside her, smirking at Fraust.

"Hey you, Bitch!" Keira Marie taunted. "If anybody's gonna be biting _that _neck, it'll be me and me alone!"

Fraust looked like she was going to get up and attack Keira Marie, but Domiwick appeared in the tree brushes.  
"Fraust! We gotta go!"

Fraust looked at him, at Keira Marie and then back at Domiwick, who was disappearing into the brushes again. She shot Keira Marie, Aerrow and Piper a dirty look before jumping up and trotting after Domiwick.  
Once the coast was clear, Keira Marie knelt over Dark Ace starting shaking him and slapping him in the face, coaxing him to wake up.  
"Ace! Wake up! C'mon, you almost got yourself bitten by the vampire!" As she yelled at him and smacked him, he started to stir. Keira Marie shook him by the shoulders. "Ace, it's not funny anymore!" She smacked him again and he grabbed her arm.

"Damn it woman! Stop smacking me!" He moaned, as if she was waking him up from a nap.

"Then get up! Up! Up! Up!" Keira Marie said, grabbing his arm and pulling him to his feet.

Dark Ace scratched the back of his aching head. "What happened?" He then saw the downed tree in front of him. "She sent me _through_ that? Geez."

"And right into this one." Keira Marie said, patting the tree Dark Ace was once leaning on. "She is one you don't want to set off."

"Don't we all know it." Aerrow said.

Piper was still staring at Keira Marie's scar that ran across her throat.  
"Keira? I gotta know..." She said, running her hand across her own throat. Keira Marie suddenly gasped and hid her throat as if she was ashamed. "I'm sorry, Keira. I didn't mean to hurt you if I did." Piper went on.

"Oh, it wasn't you, Piper..." Keira Marie said.

Aerrow paused. "Geoffry?"

"Yeah." Dark Ace answered. "The ever-so good natured Sky Knight thought if he couldn't have her, no one could..."

"Trust me...Getting my throat cut is the scariest thing I ever went through." Keira Marie continued the story. "You feel pain for a few seconds and then all you feel is your blood running down your neck and everything went blurry for me...I remember Ace's voice telling me to hang in there and his hands pressing my neck before everything went black. I woke up in intensive care a week later."

Dark Ace put his arm around her. "She's a real fighter, this one."

"It must run in my family." Keira Marie said, smiling at Aerrow, who smiled back. "Now...Let's get my back up collar before I end up telling the story to everyone in the camp."

...

Shaundi sat cross-legged at the desk in her cabin with a pile of books, but instead of reading the opened book in the candle light, she was pricking multiple holes in her fingers with a dagger and letting her blood drop on to the floor by her red boots. Carver walked in, letting the sunrise light in. Shaundi hid her face and hissed. "Sudden light!"

"You're up already?" Carver asked her, closing the door.

"I'm up still." Shaundi said, still pricking away at her fingertips. "Thanks to you, I no longer need to sleep anymore. I only have an occasional nap when I prefer to." She pricked with a quicker pace.

Carver cringed at what Shaundi was doing with the dagger. "Could you stop with the self mutilation around me, please?" He asked. Shaundi just stared at him blankly, which made him nervous. She made a fist with her hand and slashed her wrist. As the blood poured out, Shaundi dropped at on the floor from her chair and started to have spasms. Carver held Shaundi. "Oh my God, Shaundi! Don't do this! You're our ring leader! We can't do this without you! Noooooo!"  
Shaundi then started laughing and showed Carver that her wrist had healed.

"You should have seen thy face!" Shaundi shouted breathlessly as she rolled on the floor. She then started to imitate his voice disturbingly well. "Oh, Shaundi! Don't do this! You're our ringer leader!" She started to laugh again, in her own voice.

...

As Carver started to laugh with Shaundi, Domiwick had decided he'd seen enough and left Shaundi's window. He was still adjusting to his new allies, there wasn't a single Deadling possessed that didn't make him shutter and he never thought he'd ever see an actual zombie walk past him, let alone a hoard of them every day. Spacing out, he tripped over a Weeper and she continued to sob in her sitting position, her head below her shoulders and her legs folded underneath her.  
"What the- Don't you have anything better to do?"  
The Weeper, instead of growling or attacking him, started to cry louder and ran off, her hands covering her face. Domiwick suddenly felt bad. "Am I honestly thinking about apologizing to something that did the same thing when Carver told it she looked very pale this morning?" He asked himself.

"Don't feel so bad, Isaac." Fraust's voice said. "All the Weepers are sensitive. Quite highly actually."

"Oh great...You can reach me telepathically! What else can you vampires do?" Domiwick sighed, shrugging.

"Um, actually..." The voice paused. "I'm right behind you."  
Domiwick spun around, covering his neck, but Fraust was sitting on the step of her own cabin and reading a book, eyes again robbed of their color from her blue shades. "And...As I was saying, no matter what you say to the Weepers...they _will_ take it as something to cry about."

"Ah, I see...So they're on their period 24/7? ZING!"  
Fraust didn't even crack a smile; in fact she looked fairly un-amused. Domiwick forgot that most women fail to see the humour in that joke. He apologized and Fraust smiled her without-showing-teeth-but-still-nice smile. Domiwick looked at Fraust for the umpteenth time. Despite her odd fashion sense, stark white skin and of course, what she was, he thought she was very beautiful and intellectual, but today she looked a little less appealing. She had grey rings forming under her eyes and the red on her lips wasn't as deep.  
"Hey, Fraust." He said, making her look up from her book again. "Just for the sake of conversation..." He over-thought his question and asked a different one. "If Shaundi is teaching all these...what-ever they are..." He gestured to two zombies fighting each other to the far left. "...To attack mortals, then why aren't they trying to kill me and Carver?"

"Simple." Fraust answered, putting her book to her side and crossing her legs. "Shaundi put a cloak over you two, similar to the one she put on me to keep the Lycanthropes from tracking me in Cliodne's camp."

Domiwick sat beside her on the step. "So it masks our mortal scent?"

Fraust laughed at him. "Isaac...Nothing has a scent. Mortals, magicals, we all smell the same." Fraust knew what his next question was going to be and raised her hand. "Zombies and Deadling possessed just stink."

"Oh...The what does the cloak do for us?"

"It simple masks your body heat."

"Body heat?" Domiwick asked. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"You see, Isaac...The reason Shaundi and I don't have to use any magic spells to walk among the Deadlings, Possessed and zombies is because we don't _have_ body heat because we are...well..."

"Walking dead?"

"No. No, Isaac...There is a huge difference between the walking dead and the _living _dead."

"And that difference is?"

"Shaundi and I are the _living _dead." Fraust said. Right on cue, a zombie staggered passed the two. "_They_ are the _walking_ dead. See the difference?"

"I think so...You and Shaundi are a lot easier on the eyes than she is..."  
Fraust and Domiwick looked at the zombie for a few moments. She stood in place, seeming to be having trouble deciding whether to lean forward or back, until she doubled over and vomited all over her own shoes.

"Nice." Was all Fraust had to say.

"What's wrong with her?"

"She's a zombie." Fraust answered. "You think the _outside_ of the body is the only thing messed up?"

"Well...Yeah." Domiwick paused. "Cut me some slack. I just discovered that my family lied to me as a child about you people and this world."

"You're not the only mortal with that predicament." Fraust said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Our world was thought best to be hidden after the Ancient Pact was forged."

"How do you know all this stuff?"

"It's just simple demonology, Isaac. Two worlds were kept apart for centuries...When maybe perhaps, they should have remained allied. That way not as many magiclas would have had to live in secrecy, hiding out in your mortal world." Seeing the blank look she was getting, The vampire dumbed down her words. "What I'm saying is...Not all is what it seems. Most of the people living in your Atmos are magicals or even magical blood." Fraust finished, before she picked up her book, patted him on the shoulder one more time and retreated into her cabin, closing the door behind her.  
She left Domiwick to his thoughts. Until Carver interrupted the silence.

"HA! You love the vampire!" He sang.

"Oh, shut up!"

Carver blinked. "You shut up!"

"No you!"

"No you!"

"Oh, _real _mature_, Isaac_!"

"You started it."

Fraust watched the whole fight front her window and Shaundi appeared behind her in her red mist that always seemed to quickly clear up.  
"Mortals are just like children at times." Shaundi said.

"No doubt about it." Fraust replied, her arms crossed. She looked at Shaundi. "What's your next plan?"

Shaundi paused. "I will make a few more Jumpers and Rippers, then we attack the terra of the Storm Hawks origin..."

Fraust blinked. "Atmosia?"

"Yes."

The fight between the two mortal men turned violent after Carver uttered something under his breath about Domiwick's mother.  
Shaundi and Fraust trotted outside and Shaundi called two Chokers to break them up before they did any serious harm to each other.  
Domiwick and Carver cringed in disgust after they remembered exactly what was constricted around them. "Eww! Eww! EWW!"

"They'll let go if you two get along." Fraust spoke Shaundi's thoughts.

"Okay! We're fine!" Carver stated.

"We're done...We're calm." Domiwick reassured.  
The two Chokers bit down on their tongues hard enough to snap them right off and they dissolved right after disconnection.

Fraust walked over to a very pale Domiwick.  
"Are you okay?" She laughed.

"I've got a feeling that I'll need a shower now...But yeah, I'm super..." The man replied.  
With that, Fraust gave him a sincere laugh instead of a mocking one.


	15. Second Offence

Chapter 15: Second Offence 

After an entire day of forging more Deadling possessed from captured Talons and innocents from other terras, Shaundi decided that they would attack Atmosia in the morning. However, that idea changed...  
"Fraust!" Shaundi shouted bursting opened the vampire's cabin door, letting the moonlight in. "Change of plans."

"What do you mean?" Fraust asked. She, like Shaundi, didn't need sleep, so she was reading her book again.

"Did you know the Dark Ace and his girl have a young daughter?" The witch asked the vampire. "11 years old."

"Oh, and you love children!" Fraust said, standing up from her bed.

"What about children?" Carver asked, appearing in the door, Domiwick not far behind.

"Dark Ace and Keira Marie's daughter, you idiot." Domiwick sighed. Carver scowled at him.

"Boys, it's 3 in the morning." Shaundi stated. "Don't you mortals need your sleep?"

"Are you kidding? It's impossible to sleep around here now with all the weeping, coughing, laughing and...Whatever sound those spitting bitches make." Domiwick said. There was erratic laughing coming from somewhere. "What is making the laughing? That's my main issue!"  
His question was answered when a very small, humped-back male Deadling possessed dressed in dirty black and white rags jumped onto his shoulders and it had a very peculiar way of hitting the back of his head.  
Domiwick bolted from the step, cursing and screaming as the small little creature "rode" him around, laughing uncontrollably. "SHAUNDI! HELP!" He yelled, flailing his arms as he ran.

"Awe, look." Shaundi said in an unauthentic motherly tone. "He likes you!"

"GET HIM OFF! GET HIM OFF! GET HIM OFF! WHAT'S HE DOING TO THE BACK OF MY HEAD?"

"JUST STAND STILL!" Fraust yelled as Carver and Shaundi laughed inside the cabin.

"WHAT?"

"STAND STILL! THE MORE BALANCE YOU HAVE, THE LESS HE HAS!" Fraust shouted. "TRUST ME! I'M A DEMONOLOGIST!"

Domiwick stopped in his tracks and merely scrapped with the little creature standing in place. After a few moments, the little laughing monster fell over and hit the ground by Domiwick's feet and he ran over behind Fraust like a frightened child. "Wh-Wh-What the hell is that thing now?"

"That little laughing ass monkey full of jitters is called a Jumper, Isaac." Fraust said. "What they do is basically jump up there and "ride" their victim to the worst places possible..."

"And the back of my head?" Domiwick asked making sure he was still in one piece.

"Oh...He has a very unusual way of...um...blurring his victim's vision..." Fraust went on.

"So...He humps the back of your head to make you dizzy?"

"Pretty much, yeah." Fraust laughed. "The dizzier you are, the less control you have and the less control you have, the more he has."

"I see..." Domiwick said, looking at the little lump of skin on the ground a few meters away. He was still snickering with his face in the dirt. "Does he ever stop laughing?"

"No." Shaundi said. "It's the same as the Weeper's cry or the Chokers cough."

"Anyways, Shaundi." Fraust said, turning around. "How did you find out about the Dark Ace's daughter?"

"A Talon promised me all the information I could want if I spared him." Shaundi answered, looking at her crimson fingernails.

"You didn't keep your end of the deal, did you?" Carver asked.

"No." Shaundi giggled. "He's twitching and thrusting his way to becoming a Jumper as we speak." Shaundi went on explaining her plan. "Dark Ace and his beloved's daughter's name is Samara, 11 years old. She currently lives on Glaisias with a Lycanthrope named Cambria and her mortal husband, Cerbantine... Cyclonian."

"How are we supposed to take on a Lycanthrope?" Domiwick asked. "In case you forgot, Carver and I are still mortals."

"Simple, Fraust and I go. You and Carver stay and mind the camp." Shaundi answered.

"So we're babysitting zombies?" Carver asked, his face dropping.

"OH, it's easier than it looks." Fraust said. "All you have to do is make sure they don't eat each other...or you."

"Us? But I thought...The cloak thing!" Domiwick stuttered.

Fraust raised her hand to silence him.  
"When zombies get hungry enough, they'll eat whatever they can find."

"Now you tell us!" Carver said, now starting to lose it himself due to lack of sleep.

...

On the other side, not much individuals were getting the required amount of sleep either. Violet screams of pain in the infirmary kept everyone on the west side of the camp awake, Dark Ace, Keira Marie, Cyrus and his twin sister, Hazel were among.  
Dark Ace turned one more time before sitting up in the cot and causing Keira Marie to almost roll off it.

"If this doesn't end soon..."

"Ace..."

"I should be able to sleep before I go on the 4 am watch shift." Dark Ace told Keira Marie, who had her face buried in her pillow and looked up at him through the corner of her eye.

"Alright." Keira Marie said, sitting up. "Then go see what's up?"

"Nothing's up, Keira," Dark Ace said back. "Violet is just freaking out again."

"Ace, she's suffering from post traumatic stress!"

"Well all the books she reads should have prevented this!" Dark Ace jumped out of the cot and put on his shirt and boots. "She chose to study scary stuff."

"You're being hasty! You were quite pale after your Weeper attack." Keira replied, pulling on her pants and bending for her own boots. "We've never needed demonologists until now. She comes in very handy now."

The two went to the infirmary. Cliodne had to have Violet restrained to the bed to keep her from hurting herself or anyone else.  
"Are you sure my lip ring is still in?" Violet sobbed.

"Yes, Vi." Shane said. "For the umpteenth time, all your piercings are still in. The Ripper never touched your head."

"YEAH SHE ONLY TOOK TWO OF MY RIBS!"

"You'll live without them child." Cliodne reassured.

"I'M IN PAIN!" Violet cried.

"I'LL SHOW YOU THE TRUE MEANING OF PAIN IF YOU DON'T PIPE DOWN!" Dark Ace yelled at her, storming into the room, Keira Marie slapping her face behind. "You are fine, you hear me, Violet! FINE! LOOK!" He went and seized a hand mirror to show Violet her face so she could see for herself that her lip ring was still there, as well as all her ear rings.

"Oh...okay." Violet breathed, finally laying back and relaxing her muscles.

"Okay...Now will you shut the hell up so I can get my last..." Dark Ace looked at the clock. "30 minutes of sleep before I go on watch?"

"Fine..." Violet said. "I'll try and get some sleep..."

As Shane followed the two commanders out, he looked at Dark Ace.  
"All we needed to do was show her?"

"It's not rocket science man." Dark Ace said. "To prove to an irrational woman that you're right...you need to prove it...Trust me..."  
Keira Marie huffed and slapped Dark Ace across the back of the head. "Ow! Damn it woman! I was talking about Ravess!"

"Oh...sorry Ace." Keira Marie laughed, blushing. Once they got back to their cabin, Keira Marie secretly let Dark Ace sleep and took his place watching.  
She walked over to the Talon walking around the East side. "Go get some sleep. I'll take over."

"Thank you, madam." The Talon said before saluting and walking off. As Keira Marie walked past cabins, up and down the East side, she felt cold, but it wasn't the weather. The night weather was mild warm with a cool breeze. The cold she felt was from within, like something was about to happen.

"Something's on your mind?" Gail asked her from the step of her own cabin.

"How can you tell?" Keira Marie asked.

"I'm a banshee. I can sense dark emotions from mortals." Gail answered.

Keira Marie held her shoulders. "I just have a bad feeling...Like I should be worried about something, you know?" She paused. "It's probably nothing."

"Probably." Gail repeated. "After all, most things that you mortals get hyped up about never happen...Take your mortal Doomsday theories for example."

"Oh, yeah." Keira Marie giggled. "Oh no...We're all gonna die next New Years Day at midnight!"

...

In a small house in the country side of Glaisias, life was just starting to show. Samara woke up on the floor beside her bed, she'd fallen down again. She slowly rose from the light orange carpet, her pyjamas consisted of a black tank top and green shorts with the red Cyclonian symbol. Once she dressed herself in one of her skirt and sweater outfits, she walked over to her mirror and cleaned the sleep from her crimson eyes and brushed her black, green tinged hair. Samara's hair went down to her mid-back, so she pulled it over her shoulder to brush it smiling. She was so proud of her hair.

After she brushed her teeth, Samara went down to the kitchen for breakfast. In the kitchen, she met up with Cambria and her son, Cerbantine Jr.  
Cambria was a very well build, proud looking woman with neck length green hair and brown eyes. Her skin was fairly tanned and she dressed in jean shorts and a tee-shirt. Cerbantine Junior, nicknamed Cerb was the son of Cambria and her husband, a Talon named Cerbantine who had served in Dark Ace's battalion since he became a Commander. He had light green hair, blue eyes and light skin. He was 12 years old, dressed in a yellow tee-shirt and blue jeans. Junior became Samara's friend when she was taken in by Cerbantine and Cambria as a baby to keep her away from Geoffry. Her parents promised to take her back to be a family again once the battle for Atmos was over, for the mean time, they came to visit whenever Cyclonis would let them.

"Morning Sami." Cambria said.

"Good morning, Cambria." Samara replied, but Cambria never replied. She stared out the window above the kitchen sink with wild eyes.

"Cerb..." She growled. "Take Samara up stairs, hide with her and don't come out!"

"Why Ma?" Cerb asked. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing...Just go." Cambria said.

The young boy hesitated, but obeyed his mother. "C'mon, Sami." He said, grabbing Samara by the hand and bringing her upstairs.

Once the children were gone, Cambria grabbed a staff from a cabinet in the family room and stormed outside, stopping on her front deck, staring angrily at the vampire she smelled from inside.  
"You made a huge mistake coming here, you filthy night stalker!" Cambria said.

As Fraust and Cambria had a standoff, Shaundi walked through the walls into the house. She smiled when she sensed the presence _two _children.


	16. Chainsaws and Zombies

Chapter 16: Chainsaws and Zombies

"Ace!" Keira Marie called for her husband franticly until he responded.

"Keira! What's the matter?"

"I can't get a hold of Cambria to ask how Sami is!" Keira Marie said.

"Calm down, Keira. They're probably out or something." Dark Ace told her, holding her shoulders. "You know Cambria. She loves the outdoors."

Keira Marie started to tear up. "No, Ace...I had a bad feeling last night. Something isn't right!" She took Dark Ace's hands in hers. "Please! Go up to Cambria's house and check on her!"

...

That afternoon Star announced that she fixed all the rides that Fraust had demolished.  
"Turns out she cut the converter lines." The Cascade Merbian engineer said.

Dark Ace tanked Star and gave her money, telling her to buy herself something nice. As he got ready to leave, he looked over and saw Aerrow and the rest of the Storm Hawks getting ready to leave too.

"Where do you kids think you're going?" Dark Ace asked.

"With you." Aerrow said. "Keira doesn't want you to go alone."

"I'm not going alone." Dark Ace replied. "Ravess, Snipe and three Talons are coming with me."

"Now you have five more going with you." Piper stated. "If something did happen over there...then you'll need all the help you can get."

Dark Ace thought about it for a moment and then agreed with Piper. Ravess, Snipe, himself and a few Talons wouldn't be very much match for whatever they might come across.

"I'll be watching over you through divination." Cliodne said to the group. "If something is wrong...I'll be there."

Keira Marie approached Dark Ace.  
"Come back with good news." She said before kissing him goodbye.

...

It took a little more than an hour to get to Cambria's farm house. The door was opened and the house was empty.  
"I don't like this..." Piper said.

Dark Ace called Samara's name before heading for the upper floor. He got four steps up the staircase before he froze at the sound of weeping. It could have been Samara, so he very slowly crept up the stairs with everyone else watching him from the bottom step.  
He peered around the corner at the very top of a split second before launching himself down the stairs again. It was amazing he landed on his feet.

"What is it?" Ravess asked. Her question was answered when a blue haired Weeper walked very slowly to the top step and stood there. "It's Connie."  
She was doubled over, sobbing and completely oblivious to the group of mortified mortals staring at her from the bottom of the stairs. She started to walk again and disappeared around the other corner.

"Okay...Shaundi was definitely here." Finn whispered over the sobbing.

"Where's Cambria?" Ravess asked, running for the back door.  
She looked out the back window and gasped at the site of her friend laying on the ground, deathly still.  
"Cerbantine!" Ravess called. One of the Talons, a tall, light green haired man followed her outside. The group of others followed them, wanting to avoid the wandering Weeper.

"Cam?" Cerbantine asked, turning the lifeless Cambria over. She was covered in cuts and other wounds, but no bite marks. "Cam!" Her husband called again.

Cambria opened her eyes.  
"She took Cerb and Sami." She told Cerbantine. "She had a vampire fight me...I could have killed her, but I didn't change, Cerbantine. I didn't change!"

"Why didn't you change, Cam?" Cerbantine asked.

"I didn't want Cerb and Sami to see." The wounded woman sobbed, starting to sound like the Weeper in the house, who was now visible in the kitchen.

"Change?" Piper asked Ravess.

"Cambria is a Lycanthrope." Ravess answered. "It's a hard secret to keep from your child. What'll she tell him when he gets mad at school one day, loses control and attacks a school mate.

"I'm planning to tell him before he starts his Lycanthropy, Ravess." Cambria stated, standing. Her shorts were shredded and her top was ripped in various places and her hair was full of dead grass.

"Let's not waste time arguing about this while Shaundi has our children, will we?" Dark Ace exclaimed, now worried and thinking of what he was going to tell Keira Marie.

"First things first." Cerbantine told his commander. "We need to get that Weeper out of my house."

"There's a Weeper in the house?" Cambria exclaimed.

"Clearly Shaundi left it there as something to kill whoever came to check on you." Snipe stated, thinking he hadn't said anything in a while.

Cambria looked at Dark Ace.  
"Dark Ace...There's something in the shed that you might want, due to your beliefs on zombies..."

Dark Ace opened the shed door and disappeared into the darkness and was heard rummaging through the supplies. The Weeper's sobbing was the only thing keeping the air from silence until Dark Ace exclaimed happily and came out of the shed with a crystal powered chainsaw.  
"You haven't lived until you've killed a zombie with a chainsaw...and now I get to do it in real life. I love you, Cam!"

"Anytime, sir." The Lycanthrope replied.

Everyone watched as the Weeper came through the opened back door and sat on the porch deck, still sobbing.  
"Oh, He's gonna give that Weeper something to cry about now." Finn whispered, getting anxious to see the action.

Dark Ace walked over to the Weeper so the chainsaw was just over her head, but not enough to alert her. He pulled the pull-cord and powered the loud piece of machinery up, and the Weeper's eyes flushed red as she looked up at him in shock, backing down the stairs but revving the saw to make the loud noise over and over.  
"Hey Connie! How you doin' these days? You whiney little bitch. You seem the same, are you sure you got changed or are you just trying to follow the crowd again." Dark Ace spoke to the navy haired Weeper. She growled in response and started to stand up. "C'mon, Connie!" Dark Ace taunted, revving again.  
The Weeper exclaimed with anger, growling loudly through her teeth and starting to stamp her feet.

"That Weeper's throwing a hissy fit." Junko pointed out. It was scary and amusing at the same time.

The Weeper finally threw her head up and screamed before bolting forward to Dark Ace, oblivious now to how flawed she was. As she ran into him, Dark Ace ran the chainsaw through her shoulder and started sawing her in half. She finished screaming and died once the chainsaw came out of her body. The two halves fell opposite directions.  
Dark Ace looked at the group, mainly at those who knew Connie; Ravess, Snipe, Cerbantine and Cambria.  
"I've wanted to do that for years." He laughed. The other Cyclonians and the Lycanthrope joined in his laughter as the Storm Hawks were inches from getting sick for the gory scene they witnessed.

"Oh come on." Ravess told them. "You're gonna have to get a little more tough if you're gonna fight with us in this."

"I think the internment shelter is sounding good." Piper gulped.

A barrage of sounds came from the brushes around the house.  
"What's going on?" Finn asked as the group huddled together.

"They're coming." Ravess said.

"Who is?" Piper cried.

"Are you kids ready for your first hoard of zombies?" Dark Ace asked as the sounds got closer.

"Zombies?" Aerrow exclaimed.

"We don't have much time!" Cerbantine said, running into the house. "Follow me." He led the group to a room in the house and opened the gun cabinet, there was enough firearms in here for an army. "Everyone take a gun."

"But we have weapons." Aerrow said.

"Trust me, kid." Cerbantine said, taking Aerrows blades away and handing him small shotgun. "They won't do you any good right now."

"Cam!" Dark Ace called the Lycanthrope over. "How full is this thing?" He was talking about the chainsaw.

"Full power." She answered, climbing a latter outside to the roof.

"Sweet." Dark Ace exclaimed, keeping the chainsaw and a shotgun with him.

"Everyone follow Cam to the roof!" Ravess ordered, doing so herself.

Once everyone was on the roof and ready for battle, Piper noticed that Cambria had no gun.  
"Cambria! Where's your weapon?"

Cambria snorted.  
"I _am_ my own weapon."  
Once the zombies busted through the brushes on both sides of the house, Cambria got down on all fours and started to seem like she was trying to make herself angry. She jumped off the roof and as she swan-dived towards the ground, in a burst of dust and shredded clothes, she shape shifted in mid-air into a large, green and white furred wolf.  
All the Storm Hawks watched in awe as the she-wolf could fit the waists of the zombies she attacked in her mouth. Zombie bones crunched loudly under the pressure of her jaws.

"Cambria will keep as many of the zombies off of us as she can." Cerbantine said. "But she won't be able to keep them all off...So get ready."

"Holy! Those things can move!" Finn stated, starting to panic. "Whatever happened to zombies being slow and stupid?"

"They may be stupid." Dark Ace said, shooting a zombie off the side of the house. "But they sure as hell aren't slow!"

"There's hundreds of them!" Piper cried.  
She was right. There was an army of grey skinned creatures that were once human climbing up the sides of the house, blood dripping from their teeth and broken fingernails. The zombies that were lucky enough to get passed Cambria were either shot off the walls or knocked off the roof by one of the living.  
The Cyclonians had experience with zombies, but the young Storm Hawks felt like they were losing their innocence, killing people they recognized from past adventures (even thought their friends were now looking at them as food now).

Finn spotted a female Talon Choker with short brown hair, but briefly forgot what she was.  
"Wow! That's a tall zombie!" He exclaimed, pointing at the Choker.

Piper remembered what the Choker was from all the books she'd been reading.  
"FINN! GET AWAY FROM THE EDGE!"

The Choker, with a spitting noise, lashed out her tongue and caught Finn by the foot and started to drag him off the roof.  
Aerrow dived for Finn and held him the best he could.  
"CAMBRIA!" Piper called. The Lycanthrope looked away from the zombie she was attacking and tossed away the severed arm from her jaws. She bolted forward and bit the tongue, snapping it and then whipped around and attacked the fleeing Choker. With a scream and a puff of green smoke, the Choker died in the jaws of the wolf.

There was silence after the last zombie was dead.  
"Are we done?" Piper asked. Her question was answered when a Jumper attached himself to her shoulders. He seemed to come out of nowhere, and rode her, laughing through Piper's screaming.  
"GET IT OFF! GET IT OFF! WHAT IS THIS THING!"

"One of those little Jumper bastards!" Snipe stated the obvious.

Piper came dangerously close to sailing off the roof a couple of times, but the Jumper leaned to keep her away from the edge. It seemed that whichever direction the Jumper leaned, Piper would turn. "I CAN'T SEE!" Piper cried, trying and failing to get the Jumper off her back. "IT'S ON MY FACE! GET IT OFF!"

Everyone aimed at the Jumper, but he would turn Piper around and make it impossible to shoot it without hitting her. Finally, the Jumper rode Piper off of the roof and she landed on her side. The Jumper scurried around Piper, who was okay, but chose to lay down out of fear and then looked up at Cerbantine, his next intended victim.  
The Jumper screeched and jumped. Cambria flew forward and caught the little creature by the leg with her massive jaws and sent him to the ground. She attacked him in a way that made Piper cover her eyes, the Jumper continued to laugh despite the pain of getting his limbs ripped off one by one by the large Lycanthrope. Post the detachment of the head, the Jumper was dead and the remaining zombies retreated.

Aerrow was the first down the latter and helped Piper to her feet.  
"Piper. Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Cause you jumped off a roof!"

"Don't worry about me." Piper turned to attention to Cambria, who had her Cyclonian friends around her, checking to see if she was okay. She was amazed. When Cambria was in wolf form, the top of her ears was the same height as the top of Dark Ace's head. She was huge. "Cam! That was amazing!" She exclaimed, running over to the Lycanthrope.

Cambria couldn't speak, but she wagged her tail and then turned her head to her husband, who scratched the top of her head.  
"Okay, everyone, we're done here." Cerbantine said. "Wait at the front of the house unless you wanna see my wife naked."

Finn remembered what Cambria looked like as a human and stayed where he was. Piper grabbed him by the arm and drug him through the house.

Dark Ace had a worried look on his face while he sat on the front porch. Aerrow went over.  
"You okay?"

"Do I look okay?" Dark Ace snapped before sighing. "I'm sorry. It's just...What am I gonna tell Keira?"

"We'll get your daughter back." Aerrow reassured.

Dark Ace looked at him, but stayed silent.  
Cerbantine and Cambria, dressed in a Talon uniform, came out of the house. Cambria rode on her husband's ride with him on the way back to the camp.


	17. Blood Love

Chapter 17: Blood Love

Domiwick averted his eyes when he looked in Fraust's window to avoid seeing her put on her top. However, he couldn't help watching her connect the last two toggles to the top.  
Once her top was intact, Fraust trotted over to her door and threw it open, making Domiwick jump.  
"If you're gonna spy on me, make yourself more inconspicuous." She said. She was now looking more like a zombie then a vampire. Domiwick zipped away to talk to Shaundi.

...

Shaundi was in her cabin, watching Cambria rip up the zombies and not taking defeat. She growled at the image she saw in her crystal ball.  
"Lycanthropes..." She shook her head before throwing the crystal ball across the room, smashing it against the wall before Domiwick came in. "LYCANTHROPES!"

"Is this a bad time?" He asked.

"Not at all, Isaac." Shaundi said, turning to her book desk. "Come in. What do you need?"

"I have a question about Fraust..." He trailed off when he saw Samara and Young Cerbantine, laying side by side on some kind of alter. They were either asleep or dead. That was going to be Domiwick's next question.

"What do you need to know?" Shaundi spoke, sitting by her desk and crossing her legs. "Is she single? Yes."

"Really? Cool!" Domiwick exclaimed quickly before shaking his head. "No, no, no. I need to ask about how she's been looking. She's been looking rather _dead_ recently."

Shaundi raised a thin, tan colored eyebrow. "She's a vampire, Isaac. I thought you knew that."

"I knew that...but she's looking..._sick_."

"Sick? As in not well." Shaundi said. "She's not sick, Isaac. She's just..." The witch paused. "Malnourished. Ever since her secret got out, she hasn't been able to hunt very well."

Domiwick understood. "One more question."

"Not true."

Domiwick was confused.  
"I was gonna ask about the kids..."

"Oh..."

"Are they...What's wrong with them?"

"They're not dead." Shaundi answered. "Not yet at least. They're just in a, can we say a kind of coma?"

"I see..."

"After all the years, I got sick of the all the crying and request for their parents..." Shaundi went on. She then looked at Domiwick. "Don't you have somewhere to be, Isaac?"

Domiwick took that as Witch talk for 'Go away now.' So he left to go talk to Fraust.

...

Fraust was in her cabin, attempting to suck the remainder of the blood out of a raw steak from the meat locker. She shuttered.  
"It's like stale soda." She tossed the steak to the ground.  
There was a knock at the door, Fraust walked over and opened it.

"This a bad time, Fraust?" Domiwick asked.

"No." Fraust answered, stepping aside so he could come in. "What's on your mind?" She shut the door.

"I was just talking to Shaundi."

"About what?"

"I was actually talking to her about you."

Fraust paused.  
"Listen, Isaac...I do like you...but we're too different."

"What? No! No!" Domiwick shook his head. "I was asking her why you've been looking so...so..."

"Horrible?" Fraust suggested.

"From lack of better words, yes...Horrible."

Fraust put her head down. "I'm dying."

Domiwick paused and looked at Fraust with pity and concern(for both her and himself).  
"You need blood, don't you?"

"Yes." Fraust breathed. "It's as essential to us as water is to you..."

He paused again.  
"Is there a possible way to take blood without having to kill who you're taking it from, Fraust?"

"Yes...If I were to bite the shoulder blade instead of the Jugular vein." The vampire answered. "Why do you ask?"

Domiwick thought it over carefully before replying.  
"You can take some of my blood if you want."

Fraust snorted.  
"Who are you and what have you done with the selfish, self centered individual I read about?"

Domiwick laughed.  
"I don't know why Fraust, but when I look at you...I forget who I am." There was a silence before he continued. "If you can't go find someone to kill...Just rip off me...I'll let you."

Fraust's nose scrunched up. "I can't..."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't want to use you like this..." Was Fraust's reply.

"But I thought if a vampire takes blood from a willing human without killing, it was a benefit to both."

Fraust cocked her head and then smiled.  
"You've been reading my books, haven't you?"

"Maybe a little."

"Wait...If you've been researching on vampire's then why don't you _know _about that you're asking me?"

"I just thought that you might be a female Amarillo LaStoat or something..." Domiwick answered.

Fraust was surprised at what he knew. Amarillo LaStoat was a vampire from Shaundi's day and age, Elizabethan times. He was an author whose books had only one intention. This intention was to bore which ever mortal read it into a stupor, making him or her easier pray for his kin.

Fraust laughed. She thought that he was thinking she was going to blind him with affection and then kill him. _How cute_. She thought.  
"If I wanted your blood that bad I would have taken it by now."

"Fraust...I want to see you healthy." Domiwick went on. "I really like you." Fraust looked away and then looked back at him. She raised her eyebrows at the site of the man taking his jacket and his shirt off. "I'm offering it to you. Just take it."

Fraust swallowed and her throat went dry. She knew after 30 to 40 seconds she'd had enough to hold her over another day.  
"But...What if we have to make this a daily thing?" She finally asked. "Do you mind being a personal blood bank?"

"Yes...I do as a matter of fact." Domiwick started. "But being your personal blood bank? That's another story."

Fraust was flattered. She did deeply love this man. In fact, she hadn't felt this way about a man since her last husband, Caleb, who turned her into a vampire on their honeymoon. She remembered it like it was yesterday...

_It was the early 80s, Fraust was a beautiful, sun worshiping girl with long hair and dark skin. She'd just gotten married to Caleb. He was a tall, handsome man who dressed in all black with stark white skin, black hair and ice blue eyes. He walked her into the hotel room.  
"Fraust." He spoke, looking at the moon after the consummation of his marriage. "I have a confession to make..."_

"_What is it, Caleb?" Human Fraust asked. _

"_I'm not...mortal..." _

_She gasped. "You're a magical?"_

"_Yes...and now you are too, my darling."  
And before Fraust could screamed, he's clamped down on her neck, her white bra turned red with her blood dripped down her right side as Caleb sat on the bed and watched her bleed to death on the floor._

"_I'm cold, Caleb." She wept. _

"_I know it's cold." She remembered Caleb saying. "It'll all be over soon, baby."_

_The next thing Fraust remembered was her mouth going dry and then her wreaking havoc on the terra, trying to satisfy her strong, fledgling blood lust. She attacked men, women and children, even some pets. Caleb and Fraust terrorized the terra until Caleb was hunted down and executed. Fraust escaped and met Shaundi in the mid 90s, she told her about her plans and Fraust became Shaundi's blood sister._

Fraust blinked after Domiwick snapped his fingers a few times in front of her face.  
"Fraust? You okay?"

"I'm fine." She said before she embraced him. "This is your last chance to change your mind." Domiwick shook his head. "Okay...This might feel weird at first." Fraust warned before she bit down slowly on his shoulder and immediately let go and backed away, refusing again. There were so many flaws to this plan, she could kill him or worse turn him.

"Fraust. If you don't take blood, you'll die."

"I'll take some from a zombie." Fraust shuttered running for her door.

Domiwick seized her by both arms and turned her around.  
"I think you and I both know you _don't _wanna do that."

Fraust hesitated and let a few tears fall down her cheeks before-not biting-but lapping up the blood from her previous bite. Domiwick breathed in and out slowly, trying to ignore the feeling of heat and immediate cold run through his shoulder. Fraust sucked up the sweet red liquid, but just managed to control herself enough to let go after the full 40 seconds. She panted, feeling her power go up again.  
Her skin got its stark white tone back and she looked like herself again.  
"Thank you, Isaac." She said, pulling a handkerchief from her pocket and pressing it against his bleeding shoulder blade.

"Any time, Fraust." He replied. "But can I ask how this benefits me?"

"I just removed 60% of whatever caused blood clots." Fraust said. "I decreased your chance of heart attack by 50%, thus making sure you live longer."

"Seriously? Can we make this a daily thing?" he sounded mostly concerned for himself, like he was himself once again.

Fraust shrugged.  
"It would make life easier for me...I suppose so."

Domiwick held Fraust close.  
"So it's a deal then...Whenever you need blood, come find me."  
She smiled and agreed.


	18. The Riddle

Chapter 18: The Riddle

Dark Ace and the rest of his group came back to the camp to good news. Keira Marie's leg had made a full, magical recovery. She was karate kicking boards held up by Talons and breaking them in two.  
Dark Ace's heart sunk at the fact he had to murder her good mood. Keira Marie saw they were back and dismissed the Talons. She trotted over to Dark Ace.  
"Well?"

Dark Ace sighed and hung his head. "Get on." He told her.  
Keira Marie's face dropped, but she obeyed. She straddled the skimmer behind him and held on to his waist. He took her to their cabin. "Sit, Keira."

She sat and Dark Ace sat beside her on their cot.  
"Ace...What's going on? Is Sami okay?"

Dark Ace put his hand on hers.  
"Keira...We don't know what happened for sure...But we are sure Shaundi _did _take Sami."

"No!"  
Keira Marie burst into tears and buried her face in her hands before Dark Ace pulled her close to him. "No! No! No! No!"

...

Aerrow and Piper watched from the door as Keira Marie wept in Dark Ace's chest, the other Storm Hawks watched them from the ground.  
"We should go talk to Cliodne." Piper said.

"I'm here, child." Cliodne said, as if she knew.

"Cliodne..." Piper started down the cabin steps towards the tall Merbian Druidess and looked up at her face. "Will Shaundi kill Samara?"

"In time...yes." Cliodne replied sadly. "I'm afraid so..."

"How long did she usually keep the kids for back in the day, Cliodne?" Aerrow asked.

"Well, Sky Knight, back in the 1600s and the 1800s, it was difficult to identify mangled bodies." Cliodne started. "But because of their sizes, they were indeed children. The ones that could be identified by their parents had been missing for a grand total of seven days."

"Okay, so we have a week at the very latest until Shaundi kills Dark Ace and Keira's daughter." Aerrow stated. "...My Cyclonian niece."

"But we don't know where Shaundi is." Junko exclaimed.

"The kid's doomed." Stork said.  
Keira Marie's weeps grew louder inside the cabin, as if she heard.

When Aerrow crept up the stairs and saw Dark Ace crying with Keira Marie, he realized how important this was to them, he actually felt sympathy for Dark Ace.  
"Well, I can't stand to see a grown man cry so we better start finding Shaundi." He said. "Cliodne...Can someone find her somehow?"

"We'd need a telepath." Cliodne answered.

"Great...Where are we going to find a telepath?" Finn asked, letting his arms drop to his sides.

"Cyrus is a telepath, remember?" Ravess said, coming up to them from her own cabin. She'd clearly been crying herself. "He probably knows we're talking about him."

"Well, where is he?" Aerrow asked.

"Right here." The blonde Talon man came walking up with Shane, his best friend right behind. "My prowess is needed?"

"Of course, Cyrus." Ravess said, rubbing under her eyes. "You probably know what's going on."

"Yes...Keira's thoughts are fairly distraught and loud..."  
Piper looked at Cyrus and Shane up and down; she'd never gotten a good look at them before and just realized how handsome they both were. They were both very well built, bulky with light skin tones. Cyrus had short blonde hair and hazel eyes and Shane's eyes were dark blue, like pools of water at night time and jet black hair, like Violet.  
When they looked back at her, she blushed.  
Cyrus closed his eyes. "...She's still alive...But she's still...Cold..." He said.

"Samara?" Piper asked, secretly wanting to hear Cyrus' stern, but soft voice again.

"Yeah." He said. "Her mind is at ease...She must be unconscious."

"And Cerb?" Ravess asked, on Cambria's behalf.

Cyrus paused. He then opened his eyes; they were glowing crimson red, like Shaundi's eyes usually and everyone jumped back.  
"A vampire's eye holds the key..." He said before his eyes went back to hazel and he hit the ground.

"Cliodne!" Piper called.

The Druidess appeared.  
"What happened?" She asked, sitting putting her hands over Cyrus' head.

"We don't know!" Finn stated. "He just went all possessed and then said something about vampire eyes and then he fell!"

Cliodne froze.  
"What did he say?"

"A vampire's eye holds the key." Ravess repeated.

Cliodne's eyes went blank and she immediately focused all her energy on Cyrus. Both of them were glowing purple for a couple of seconds and Cliodne came out of her trance.  
"I couldn't find any demonic or Deadling presence in his body. He'll be okay."

Two Talons carried Cyrus to the infirmary.  
Aerrow approached Cliodne and almost grabbed her hand.  
"Cliodne, what the heck just happened?"

"At first I thought the worst...But Shaundi didn't take the time to do as much as she could have." The Druidess answered.

"But what about the vampire's eye thing?" Piper asked. "What's that about?"

"A vampire's eye holds the key...it's a riddle." Keira Marie said, at the door of her cabin with Dark Ace.

"We heard the whole thing." Dark Ace stated, leading her down the steps. "Samara's okay and that's all that matters."

"But we still need to get her back." Keira Marie said, increasing her grip on Dark Ace's hand.

Piper looked at Gail, who was sitting on the roof of her cabin looking at Dark Ace and Keira Marie. She approached.  
"Gail?"

"Hi Piper." Gail said with tears visible in her eyes.

Piper climbed the latter to sit beside the weeping Gail.  
"Gail...Why do banshee's cry?"

Gail wiped the tears from her eyes and amazingly, her makeup was fine.  
"We can feel the emotions of others, Piper."

"Oh, so you feel what Dark Ace and Keira are feeling and that's why your upset?"

"Yes...and no."

"What do you mean?"

Gail seemed like she was struggling to answer.  
"It's a very complicated matter...and I don't know I can explain this...But I've seen my future, Piper and that's all I'd prefer to tell you."

Piper looked into Gail's eyes, they were still blank, but had more light then the way she remembered her on Terra Midoria. Gail had once been no better than Shaundi back when she was literally trapped inside her own corpse as it rotted away. Piper was sure Gail and Shaundi would have made a good team if Stork hadn't set Gail free and turned her into the kind soul she was.

...

Cliodne called the Storm Hawks and Cyclonian leaders to her cabin for a discussion on what happened with Cyrus. Cyclonis, Dark Ace and Keira Marie got there before anyone else.  
"Everyone take a seat here." Cliodne said, taking her own seat at the small circle table. There wasn't much room so some had to almost cuddle with their enemies. Aerrow reluctantly took a seat beside Cyclonis.

"We seem to be short on chairs." Keira Marie pointed out and in fact, she was the only one without a seat. "It's alright though, I'm restless, so I can stand."

"Oh no, child." Cliodne insisted. "I can get someone to find you a seat to sit by your beloved."

Aerrow almost laughed when Dark Ace raised his hand to get Cliodne's attention.  
"Why sit beside when she could just sit _on _me and save us all some time."

"Though I question your initiative, I will have to agree with you." Cliodne stated before Keira Marie sat on Dark Ace's lap and he seemed to smirk in Aerrow's direction.

...

"Sami...Sami, wake up." Cerb's voice whispered.

Sami opened her eyes and saw Cerb sitting over her.  
"Cerb? Where are we?"

"I don't know." Cerb answered.  
The 12 year old boy and the 11 year old girl hopped off the alter they were laying on and their first instinct was to go to the door.  
As soon as Cerb opened the door, three zombie's noticed their body heat and attacked with a screech. Cerb slammed the door shut and grabbed Sami as the two retreated to the corner behind Shaundi's desk.  
The banging at the door stopped and a woman was heard yelling at the zombies.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU IDIOTIC LAMEBRAINS DOING? THAT'S MY DOOR! GET LOST!"  
Shaundi opened the door and saw the two children. She decided to use her old charm with them; even though these two were a little older then she was expertise with.  
"Young Cerbantine and Samara Maria...How nice to see you awake."

Sami knew about Shaundi, Dark Ace had radioed her at Cambria's house and told her about Shaundi and what she did to kids, which she told Cerb. They were both terrified.  
The woman in the black and silver dress that made her look like a bell reassured them that she wouldn't hurt them, but as soon as she was far enough from the door Cerb and Sami bolted out the door passed her. Shaundi let them go only because a Choker already had Cerb wrapped in his tongue.

"Cerb!" Sami froze.

"Run Sami! Run!"

"Samara! You will stay put unless you want to see your little friend die!" Shaundi ordered as the Choker handed Cerb to her. The tongue slid off him and the Choker limped away.  
"Come hither, Samara." Shaundi beckoned and despite Cerb's negative nods, Sami walked to her, head hung low.

Shaundi drug them both down to her cellar. Sami squeezed Cerb's hand at the sight of the pool full of blood. Shaundi took them to a reinforced door and opened it. She beckoned them inside and there was another young girl in there already. She was 11 years old, like Sami and was wearing a dirty white dress that was really loose on her. One side hung over her shoulder.  
The witch slammed the door shut and Sami wanted to cry, but she was the Dark Ace's daughter so she was strong.

"Hi." The other girl said to them. "It's nice to see someone new."

"Are you here alone?" Cerb asked.

"I am now." The girl said. "I was here with my brother and my sister...The witch brought me here and took them somewhere else..." She started to cry.

"I'm sorry..." Sami said. "What's your name?"

"Anthest." The girl said.

Cerb froze and took Sami to the corner to talk to her.  
"Sami...I think I know what happened to her brother and maybe her sister..." He whispered.

"What?"

"Remember that thing that had me?"

"Yeah."

"He had a tattoo on his arm...It was a heart that said _Amy_ and _Anthest _on it."

Sami felt her own tears coming.  
"Anthest?" She asked. "What were your brother and sister's names?"

"Well, my brother and sister that were here with me was Cody and Amy...But I have another brother, Derran...He's probably looking for us."

Amy...That was the other name on the tattoo, it was then that Cerb and Sami knew that the Choker they saw must have been Cody, meaning Amy must have suffered a fate just like his.

...

That night, Keira Marie was looking through pictures of Shaundi, Fraust and the bodies of the children Shaundi killed. She was brought close to tears at every gray-scale photo of the mangled body of a child Samara's age.  
She wanted to push the photos away, but she couldn't. As tears rolled down her cheeks, a red glove pushed all the grim photos away from her. She looked up into Dark Ace's eyes.  
"Ace." She sobbed.

"Keira, you heard Cyrus." Dark Ace said, doubt growing in his throat when he glanced at the picture of a decapitated girl on top of the pile. "Sami's fine...She's alive."

"I know, Ace...but I'm so worried about her." Keira Marie couldn't hold back the tears any longer. She got up to her feet and buried her face in her lover's chest.  
As she sobbed Dark Ace felt his own tears trying to claw their way out.

"I'm worried too, Keira..." He let the tears out. "I'm worried too."

They both sobbed into each other for a while; Keira sobbed into his chest and he sobbed into her hair. When Dark Ace glanced at a picture of Fraust, a recent one, taken a few weeks ago by a Talon spy (who was now a Weeper), he noticed something funny about it.  
"What is it, Ace?" Keira Marie asked as he grew quiet.

Dark Ace released her and picked up the picture. It was a clear shot of Fraust's face; her eyes looking to the left.  
"Keira...Get me a magnifying glass..."

"Ace?"

"Either I've gone schizo, or I just solved the riddle."  
Keira Marie dug through the desk drawers and found a magnifying glass and handed it to him, hanging over his shoulder. Ace put the glass over Fraust's closest eye and smiled. "Look at this."

Keira Marie looked. In Fraust's eye was the reflection of a sign that read: _Dotan Hall_.  
"Shaundi is hiding on Terra Dota!" She exclaimed. "A vampire's eye holds the key! Ace! You solved the riddle!" She jumped up and wrapped her legs around his waist as she hugged him.


	19. Shaundi and Carver's Deal

Chapter 19: Shaundi and Carver's Deal

Dark Ace and Keira Marie rung the alarm and called a meeting to their own cabin.  
When everyone was gathering, Keira Marie offered Aerrow a spot to sit on the bed.  
"Knowing what you two do on that, I'd rather not." Aerrow replied.

Keira Marie laughed before sitting. Dark Ace announced that he solved the riddle.

"How so?" One Talon couldn't believe it.

"Look at this." Dark Ace said, showing the Talon the picture. "That's not a coincidence!"

Everyone looked at it.  
"Cliodne, what does this mean?" Piper asked.

"It means Shaundi is hiding on Terra Dota...she's probably being sheltered by Fraust...Her Father owned a summer camp before he died."

"Well what are we waiting for?" Dark Ace spoke. "We have an outpost in Dota. Let's go get her!"

He almost jumped out the window before Cliodne stopped him.  
"Dark Ace...I understand your anxiety...But I know Shaundi better than any of you..." The Druidess spoke in her calm tone. "If Shaundi sees you coming, which she will if we act too quickly...She will kill your daughter, and she will be sure to neglect thinking it over."

Dark Ace nodded.  
"So what do we do?"

"We wait." Cliodne stated.

"We wait?" Keira Marie repeated in terror.

"Yes." Cliodne said, again with little emotion. She was just a statue under her purple cloak.

Gail looked at the floor for a few moments before slipping away from the cabin, from the others and from the camp.

...

Aerrow watched Dark Ace step out of his cabin and walk off with a couple Talons and trotted into the cabin to talk to Keira Marie. She was weeping with her head buried under her arms as she laid on her stomach on the cot.  
"Keira?"

She looked up and wiped her tears away.  
"Hey Aerrow. What's up?"

"You okay?"

"Yes...I'm fine." Keira Marie said with a big, fake smile.

"Keira...We'll find her." Aerrow said, putting his hand on his sister's shoulder. "She'll be fine."

...

Fraust sat on her step again, reading a new book when Carver and Domiwick ran by, screaming.  
"Boys! Boys! Boys!" She called after them, leaning over her railing. They walked back over to her, suddenly as if nothing was wrong. "What's all the fuss about?"

"It's Shaundi!" Carver cried. "She's possessed by some happiness demon!"

"Happiness demon?" Fraust cocked her head to the side. "What are you talking about, Carver?"

"She's sitting in her cabin and she's just laughing...Just laughing!" Carver stated, Domiwick nodding behind him. "What do we do, Fraust?"

Fraust put her book on her bed and led the two mortals to the door of Shaundi's cabin and there was no sound.  
Fraust knocked three times on the door. "Shaundi? You alright?"

The Witch opened the door and Carver and Domiwick flinched. Shaundi was fine, she was emotionless and looking at Carver with blank eyes.  
"What do you mean? Of course I'm alright." She said.

"But, but, but..." Carver and Domiwick couldn't finish...They knew they weren't hearing things.

Shaundi took their shock as mortal babbling. She shook her head and called Carver in. Once Carver was on Shaundi's step with her, Fraust and Domiwick walked off in opposite directions until a Choker stared the blonde man down. Domiwick knew that the zombies and Deadlings would stare at him, but not harm him, but still the blank eyed woman with dirty black hair hanging over her face and her tongue hanging down to her waist gawking at him as she wheezed made him spin around and tail the vampire.  
Carver looked at the Choker as she lumbered by; there was something odd about it.  
"Shaundi?" He called back in the cabin. The Witch responded, standing beside him again. "What's with that Choker...There's something different about her...it..."

"Notice the smoke emitting from her...it?" Shaundi said, clearly mocking him at the moment.

Carver looked at the wheezing creature and sure enough, green smoke was coming from her.  
"Uhhh...I thought they were only supposed to go poof when they die..."

Shaundi snorted.  
"That is a fully fledged Choker...The transformation is complete and this Choker will be harder to..." she paused and cracked a small smile at Carver. "_Go poof _when it's shot at."

"Ah, I see...So it's a Choker...but it's grown up now!"

Shaundi looked at him blankly before walking back into her cabin with Carver behind her.  
"Yes...You can say that, Carver."

The witch sat on the desk. She had no bed in her cabin because her bed was down in the cellar. Carver couldn't figure out why, but he was content knowing there was little chance of anyone hearing him and Shaundi at night.  
When Carver looked back at Shaundi, a small black kitten jumped on her lap. Shaundi stared at it and Carver wanted to look away.  
_No, Shaundi...Please don't kill the kitty!_

The kitten mewed and arched it back and the witch petted it as if it were a pet. Carver's jaw dropped at the kitten purred loudly and cuddled up to Shaundi and she giggled and scratched behind its ears. Carver had discovered Shaundi's soft side, it was brought out my cats.  
"So I guess that's one Witch stereotype that's true." He said.

"What?"

"All witches love cats!"

Shaundi smiled at the purring kitten as it crawled up her shoulder and hid itself in her ginger hair. "Yes...and all cats' love witches. We have an aura that they sense that makes us a friend to them." She let the kitten crawl down and it curled up on the desk. "Now, Carver...the reason I called you here is because I've been sitting in Aerrow's mind."

"You've been sitting in Aerrow's mind?" Carver asked. "How did you fit yourself in that kids tiny head?"

Shaundi's eyes rolled to the back of her head in frustration.  
"Not literally, Carver." She spoke through her teeth.

"Oh...you mean with that thing you do with the blood and the...no clothes and the...Can I watch you do that again?"

Shaundi shook her head.  
"Carver...The Storm Hawks, Cyclonians and a few Lycanthropes will be coming here soon...That means you will be fighting with Aerrow very soon...I think you and I both know that without my assistance...You will end up making a fool of yourself."

"Hey!"

Shaundi stood up and did a smooth spin before pointing at herself. "It runs in the bloodline, Carver...We never give up until we win. Lest we forget that I am Aerrow's great, great, great, great, great, great-" Carver spaced out from all the greats being said. "-great, great, great aunt." She paused. "Carver! Are you listening?"

Carver jumped.  
"Yes! I'm listening! Something about the great...wall of...China?"

Shaundi slapped her face.  
"Anyways, Carver...I'll make you a deal."

"Oh GOD! If I fail at killing Aerrow again you turn my head into a turnip and ribs into-"

"CARVER, SHUT UP!" Shaundi shouted. The man stopped talking. "The deal is...When I'm near, Aerrow will not be able to take you down and in return...all you have to do is provide me with sexual release. Release in moderation is how Sorcerites stay healthy."

Carver's jaw dropped again.  
"So...you make me invincible and all I have to do is you whenever you want it?"

"Yes. It's that simple."

"Life is sweet!" Carver said, jumping around.  
Shaundi shook her head before sitting on desk again. The black kitten curled up on her lap.

The good moment was shattered for Carver when Domiwick pretty much broke open the door in haste. The kitten arched its back and hissed at him.  
"Shaundi!"

"Shut up, Isaac! Can't you see I'm celebrating over here!" Carver shouted at him.

"Great, have fun!" Domiwick retaliated.

"I am! This deal Shaundi and I had is the best thing to happen to me since chocolate milk!"

Domiwick looked at him for a second before looking at Shaundi, who was now in front of him.  
"Uh...Fraust needs your help."

"What's going on, Isaac?"

"A Merbian somehow snuck here and rescued the two kids..." He paused as he saw Shaundi's cheeks go red. "Cerbantine Junior and...Samara..."

Shaundi pushed him into the door way, walking past before disappearing into thin air.

...

Fraust wrestled with Gail, knowing she was a Banshee and couldn't let her scream. Gail turned her head to the two children, cowering nearby.  
"Don't worry about me!" She called, still struggling with the vampire. "You'll find a Cyclonian outpost down that path! GO NOW!"  
Samara and Cerb turned around to go, but Shaundi was in front of them in a red mist, she was fuming in anger. Samara managed to duck around her, but she caught Cerb by both arms.

"RUN SAMI!" Cerb said again as the witch held the 12 year old boy by his neck. "RUN!"  
Samara screamed in terror as Shaundi snapped her best friend's neck and let his body fall. She took off as fast as she could down the path in the trees and out of Shaundi's site.

Gail was laughing at Shaundi.  
"You lost her, Witch! You lost her! She'll be with the Cyclonians in a little more than 30 minutes!" The Banshee laughed before Shaundi seized her by the shoulder.


	20. Inside the Fire

Chapter 20: Inside the Fire

At the Cyclonian outpost in Dota, a lady Talon named Emilia stood guard at the front gates. She was very distracted. She was Cambria's babysitter, she would look after Samara and Cerb every weekend and she couldn't believe that the two kids she loved were on the same terra as her all along.  
She was brought out of her trance at the sound of bush breaking and someone breathing hard. She looked at the bushes and Samara was there, her eyes tear stained and her body shaking and bleeding from tree branches hitting her.

"Sami?" She called. "Is that you?"

Samara looked at Emilia and recognised her.  
"EMMY!" She called, running over and hugging the tall, brown haired Talon in tears. Emilia took her inside and Talons all around were awestricken to see her.

"Get me a radio!" Emilia said.

...

Waiting for Cliodne's word was hard, Dark Ace and Keira Marie held each other on their cabins front step. Keira Marie listened to Dark Ace's steady heartbeat echo under his armour and he patted her back.  
A Talon ran up.  
"Sir! Madam! You both have an incoming call."

Dark Ace glared at him.  
"Take a message...Can't you see we're trying to mourn our daughter here?"

"But you're daughter..." The Talon said. "She's alive!"

The two shot up and ran to the radio.  
Dark Ace picked up the radio and addressed Emilia.  
_Sir! _Emilia's voice said. _It's such an honour! _

"You have Samara with you, Emilia? You have Sami?" Dark Ace asked.

_Yes. _The Talon's soft voice said. _But she's resting...I'll bring her first thing in the morning. _

"Sounds good."  
Dark Ace disconnected and spun around to embrace Keira Marie. She was weeping again, but tears of joy this time.

"Such wonderful news." Cliodne exclaimed from the doorway. "But how fairs the other child?"

"Oh...Emilia said only Sami came...Cerb wasn't with her." A Talon said.

"Oh no." Keira Marie put her hand over her mouth. "Cerbantine and Cam..."

"I'll tell her..." Dark Ace said.

...

The Storm Hawks were talking with Shane and Cyrus when crashes roars and screams were heard. What happened? Had Shaundi unleashed her newest threat on them?  
They went to the center of the camp and saw Cambria, in wolf form standing with one paw covering Ravess' entire torso and the pink haired woman scrambled under the massive paw, at the brink of tears.  
Cerbantine repeated patted Cambria's neck, since there was no point of trying to push the 6 foot tall wolf.  
"Cam! Cam, no!" He said. "Stop! I know you're upset! So am I!"

"What happened?" Aerrow asked a Talon.

"Cambria's son is dead." The Talon answered.  
All the Storm Hawks gasped and looked at the wolf, still crushing the woman and growling.

"Cambria! It's okay...We'll get the witch!" Cerbantine went on. "You want her, not Ravess! Look! Ravess is your friend! You want to hurt her, do you?"

The wolf's light blue eyes looked down at the scared woman under her paw. She huffed and raised her paw and went to lie in the dirt. Three Talons brought a large blanket and put it over the wolf as she shifted back into Cambria's human form. She wrapped the blanket around her under her arms and helped Ravess to her feet.  
"I'm sorry." Cambria said. "I don't know what came over me."

"No problem." Ravess said. "I understand completely. I would have done the same thing if it would have been Vixxy, Morelia or Skyla."

...

The rest of the day was quiet, until the evening when Gail stumbled into the camp, cut, bleeding and disoriented.  
Storm Hawks, Talons and other by-standers rushed to her side.  
"Gail? What happened? Are you okay?" Aerrow asked. "Where did you go?"

"Nowhere nobody couldn't find me." The Banshee said, still looking out of sorts.

Gail staggered passed Piper and struggled to get up the stairs to her cabin. Piper helped her, even opened the door for her.  
"Are you sure you're okay, Gail?" Piper asked.

"Fine...I'm fine..." Gail said, masking her inner pain.  
Stork looked at her as if he was sensing it. She reassured that she was fine and just needed some rest.

...

Shaundi stood in front of Carver in the Blood chamber, with her back turned.  
"I still don't understand why you let the Banshee go after she let the kids go." Carver said. "I thought you would have-"

"You don't understand, Carver?" Shaundi asked, looking at her lake of blood. "I will make you understand."  
Shaundi pulled her top over her head and dropped it to the floor, followed the rest of her clothing. The Witch submerged herself in the blood.  
She turned around, up her waist in blood as always and the crimson liquid looking like wax dripping from her stark white skin.  
"I let the Banshee go because...CARVER! ARE YOU LISTENING?"

Carver jumped when she addressed him.  
"Sorry, Shaundi...It's just you're...I'm listening now..."

"I let the Banshee go because I know exactly where she went." The bloody Witch said. "Back to Cliodne's camp. That's why before I let her go, I pulled the Banshee out of her body and replaced it with a couple Deadling Sprites. Now, I awaken the Sprites and when she turns, she will kill everyone in that camp."  
Shaundi raised her arms and her eyes glowed red, a dark and fluorescent red and the round charm around her neck glowed green, the same color as the Sprites themselves.

...

Gail rolled off her cot and felt like a electric razor blades was running through her bones.  
"Witch!" She gasped. She tried to fight off the Deadling influence, but then she realized that she was no longer a Banshee. Gail was vulnerable to the Deadlings that were taking over her body. Her gasps for air quickly turned into the cut-throat growling and her skin went as pale and pasty as it was before.  
"No..."


	21. A Painful Goodbye

Chapter 21: A Painful Goodbye

Gail tried her best to summon all the Banshee strength within her, but the Deadling sprite was taking over her as if she were a mere mortal.  
She then remembered when Shaundi had her by the throat and off the ground, she muttered: _Dimittie animam miserabile reponendum esse media nocte!  
_It was a soul switching incantation. Shaundi had used those very words at that very moment to suck the Banshee spirit right out of Gail and replace it with a Deadling sprite. Gail was nothing but mortal and thus doomed to surrender to the Deadlings will.

...

"Uhhhh...Shaundi...Can I ask a stupid question?" Carver asked as Shaundi soaked in the blood bath.

"Oh, Carver...There are just questions...No such thing as a smart or stupid question..." The Witch replied.

"Why did you let Gail go? Isn't she army material?"

Shaundi turned to face Carver and shot him an ugly look.  
"THAT IS THE STUPIDEST QUESTION I HAVE EVER HEARD!"

"Well you said...Never mind...No matter how stupid it is...Can you answer it?" Carver asked. "Pretty please?"

"If you promise to speak to me like an adult." Shaundi stated, turning her back to Carver again and running blood up her arms and shoulders.  
She paused. "You really think I'd let her go scot free? I'm not that kind of woman, Carver...I thought you'd realize that by now..."

"Well...What did you do?"

"She's turning into a Ripper as we speak...and by morning, she will have half of Cliodne's camp of resisters torn to shreds."  
She laughed coldly.

...

The next morning, after a very restless night, Piper approached Gail's cabin out of concern for her well being.

"Gail?" She piped at the door to break the silence.

Keira Marie happened to be walking by and Piper caught her attention.  
"Piper. What are you doing?"

"Im checking on Gail." Piper answered. "She was really quiet and banged up when she got here yesterday, and I mean...She saved your daughter."

Keira Marie approached the step to stand beside Piper at the door.  
"Yeah...And doing that probably made Shaundi more than a little angry."

Piper knocked softly. "Gail? Are you in there? We're coming in."  
She opened the door to darkness and more silence.

"Gail?" Keira Marie piped this time into the dark room and was answered to a low, deep throat growl that was too familiar.  
Keira Marie flipped on the lights to see Gail. Eyes glossy, hair matted and she seemed to have been tearing at her own arms with her now claw-like nails.

Piper screamed and Gail screeched in return before crouching on the floor, ready to pounce.  
With an exclamation of terror, Keira Marie pushed Piper out of the way just in time to have Gail impact her and take her sailing down the stairs and to the dirt ground.  
Piper was too frozen to even scream and there was nothing Keira Marie could do to defend herself, Gail was straddling her abdominopelvic to the point where she had to breathe through her chest, which she wasn't used to, Keira Marie had always breathed from her stomach. Keira Marie took Piper's displeasure of screaming once Gail started ripping at her skin. The Talon hid her face with her hands, only to have her chest and arms ripped at, skin and clothes coming off piece by painful piece.

Her screams were answered when Cyrus and Shane ran up and Shane shot Gail in the shoulder, then in the forehead, a kill shot.  
Once Gail flew off Keira Marie from the sudden force of the kill shot, Cyrus and Shane ran up to aid her however they could.  
She shook furiously and blood erupted from her chest and mouth while it leaked from her hands, arms and elbows. Shane gagged when he saw Keira Marie's bone on one arm; she had been torn so severally.

Piper dropped to her knees, in tears as Keira Marie continued to spasmaticly shake in blood loss. "Keira Marie! I'm so sorry, it's all my fault!" She sobbed.

"N-No. P-Piper." Keira Marie managed to shake out. "It's not your fault."

"You saved my life."

"You're my brother's best friend, and I want him to see that I'm more than what he thinks I've become."

"What you've become? What do you mean?"

"You know perfectly well what I mean, Piper." Keira Marie gasped for air and her face turned more pale by the second. "I'm dying."

"No you're not." Piper wept. "Cliodne will help you." She turned her head to Shane and Cyrus. "What are you waiting for? Go get her!"  
Shane and Cyrus then took off as fast as they could.

"Piper." Keira Marie breathed. "Cliodne won't get here in time for me. Tell Ace and Sami I love them and tell Aerrow...I love him too." Keira Marie breathed her last words as her grip on Piper's hand got weaker. "And one more thing..."

"What? Anything." Piper said, sniffing.

"...Kill that fucking witch!"  
Keira Marie's head turned to the side as she closed her eyes and left that world forever.

"Keira! NO! Keira!" Piper's sobs turned into screams and seemingly endless tears as Cliodne trotted up with Cyrus and Shane, Aerrow and Violet not far behind. Violet had made a full recovery from her own Ripper attack. She covered her mouth in shock.

"Ava!" Aerrow shrieked in horror before he looked over at the dead Ripper Gail. "Gail! Piper! What happened?"

"It was all too sudden. Gail was a Ripper and Keira...She saved my life to-I-I didn't mean for it to happen!" Piper sobbed, still gripping Keira Marie's bloody hand.

Cliodne put her hand over Keira Marie's chest wound. "It was far too severe, there wouldn't have been anything I could have done."

"So she's dead?" Aerrow yelled. "You can't use some spell to bring her back or anything like that?"

"No...Not unless you want a zombie for a sister." Cliodne said. "Or the Dark Ace wants a zombie fiancé."

"What are we gonna do?" Cyrus asked.

"Win this war!" Piper said, suddenly feeling a burst of confidence and rage. "For Gail and Keira and everyone Shaundi's murdered and tortured!"

"I admire your hope child." Cliodne said, using a spell to clean up Keira's body. "But Shaundi has an army of Deadlings of all variety as well as vampires, dark Sorcerites and Dyrads. We only have mortals, one Weeper, demi-magicals and one Lycanthrope."

"She has a point." Shane said. "We won't stand a snowballs chance in Hell."

"We'll find a way to send Shaundi there one way or another." Piper said. "I'm sure Cambria can assemble more Lycanthropes and why don't some of us travel to the Terra Salemdor mountains and get the Harpy Tribe of Salemdor on our side."

Cliodne smiled.  
"That plan could work, young one."

"Yeah. With Harpies on our side we can win!" Aerrow said before thinking. "What are Harpies?"

"Harpies are majestic creatures native to the Salemdorian mountain peaks." Cliodne said. "Half woman, half bird. There is no such thing as a male Harpy. Each Harpy lives for 300 years and lays 2 to 4 eggs before she passes on and the dust she dissolves into keeps the eggs warm so they may hatch. However, Harpies keep to themselves and getting them to join out war will be difficult."

"We can do it." Aerrow said.

"Very well." Cliodne said. "Start out tomorrow morning..." She then paused.

"One more thing." Cyrus added.

"Yes, telepath?"

"Who is going to have the misfortune of telling Dark Ace that Keira Marie is dead?"


	22. Apocalypse

Chapter 22: Apocalypse 

Telling Dark Ace that Keira Marie was dead wasn't easy, but it was done. He didn't say anything, he didn't do anything, he just shut himself up in his cabin. Nobody saw him or heard from him.

Aerrow took over with major plans; forming a good team to go confabulate with the Harpy Tribe of Terra Salemdor. The group that went was Aerrow, the rest of the Storm Hawks (excluding the Shade sisters, they stayed behind to help Cliodne with the camp.) They were joined by Virginia and Violet, offering their Demonology knowledge and Cyrus convinced Shane to join them, despite his fears that he refused to discuss.

The group prepared and piled into the newly fixed and tuned up Condor. Cyrus and Shane loaded up boxes of guns into the cargo bay.  
"Whoa, whoa, whoa." Aerrow said to them. "What are those for?"

"When we fly over the Mortal Atmos, you'll find out." Was Shane's answer.

One other plan was to go over the mortal Atmos, the home of the Storm Hawks and search for anyone who could help.  
They took off and their trip started.  
"Hey Storm Hawks." Virginia said, brushing her hair to the side. "Come look at what Shaundi made of your home."

Piper took her binoculars and took a look over Terra Rex and was appalled by what she saw. Civilians running for their lives from grey skinned civilians, and some were unlucky enough to be tackled by the person he or she was running from.  
One particular man running from a woman was tackled and wrestling the unhealthy looking woman who stalked him. Piper gasped when she saw the brutal image of the woman ripping the man's skin off with her teeth like a wild animal eating a raw piece of meat.  
"Are those?...Those down there...Are they what I think they are?"

"Zombies." Virginia said, not taking her own binoculars off the woman devouring the man, not caring about how much blood got on her face and clothes. "It's amazing what a magical can do with the right kind of knowledge of chemicals."

"Chemicals?" Piper asked.

"Again, simple demonology, mixed with a bit of chemistry." Violet said, coming up behind her and standing at the window in between the two. "All you need is the right ingredients, turn them into a drinkable concoction, shove it down the throat of an innocent mortal and BOOM, you have a zombie."

"Then send the zombie back home to wreck havoc." Virginia finished off. "The virus spreads like wildfire just by fluid to fluid contact. Bites, scratches, you name it. It's best just not to let a zombie near you."

"Shaundi's caused the apocalypse." Aerrow stated. "Just like she said she would."

"Is it like this everywhere?" Junko asked, horrified.

"Most likely." Cyrus said from a distance.

...

Cyrus was right; every single terra was crawling with something undead. There was nowhere safe to land the Condor, so the Storm Hawks were forced to move past the places they once called home and go straight for Terra Salemdor.  
They landed in the Black Forest of Salemdor, a very familiar place. The Black Forest was where Shaundi set up camp during her child killing rampage and the events that led to Vixxy's death.

"We'll have to walk to and up the mountains." Violet said, clutching her demonology book in her arms. "The air space around the Salemdorian Mountains belongs to the Harpies and they will be furious if we fly."

...

Walking to the mountains took until sun-up, which made some feel a lot safer in the sun light. The group looked up at the mountain, the top was not visible.

"How high is this mountain exactly?" Finn asked.

"Nobody really knows." Cyrus answered. "Some of us should camp out here as the rest scale the mountain."

"Not a bad idea." Piper said.

"It's best to travel light up this mountain." Virginia stated. "It's best if most of the muscle stays down here."

"But what if you're attacked?" Junko asked her.

"Harpies warn us to leave, we back off..." Violet answered. "It's just that simple. Harpies are like Dyrads...It'd be suicide to battle one in its own domain."

Everything was understood.  
It was agreed that Cyrus and Virginia would go up the mountain with Aerrow, Piper and Finn. Shane, Violet, Stork and Junko stayed behind to make camp on the bottom of the mountain.  
Wind currents were brisk and made scaling the mountain difficult, Finn was starting to complain and Cyrus was ready to throw him down the mountain.

Once the ground was officially covered by clouds, the group got to a small platform.

"Are we there yet?" Finn whined.

"I swear to the power above, Finn...If you ask that question one more time..." Cyrus threatened.

"Hello?" A small female voice echoed from the left. "Hello? Is someone out there? Please help me!"

"What's that?" Piper asked.

The group slowly moved towards some fallen rocks where the voice was coming from.  
"Please. Help!" The small voice echoed again from a small crease in the rocks.

"Hello? Who's down there?" Aerrow called.

"My name is Ileana." The small voice said. "I was looking for mountain mushrooms down here and then the cave fell in. I won't last long down here. Please help!"

Cyrus started to push at the rocks to shift them when Aerrow slapped a hand on his shoulder.  
"Think about this Cyrus... What if it's one of Shaundi's tricks?"

"No tricks, I promise!" The small voice reassured. "If you help me, I'm positive you'll be rewarded."

Aerrow hesitated. "I'm still not sure."

"Well, Aerrow...She sounds innocent enough, and Shaundi doesn't even know we're here." Violet stated.

"How can you be sure?"

"I'd be able to feel her presence." Cyrus said. "I'm a Telepath, don't forget. No Shaundi here."  
Aerrow then gave him a nod, and Cyrus shifted the rocks away with Aerrow and Finn's help. Once the cave entrance was clear, a blur of gold, pink and blue rushed past them.

The group watched in astonishment as the object that passed them whirled in the air to dust off the rubble and dirt, revealing a young female, looking no older than Piper.  
Her hair was golden and fell to her back, her skin was so fine it was pink. She seemed to wear no clothes, but her 'areas' were covered by bright blue feathers, she stretched out her arms, that were revealed to be wings and she hovered.

"She's a Harpy." Piper exclaimed.

Ileana opened her blue eyes that were brighter than her feathers. She gasped.  
"Land Walkers!" She yelled, as if scared.

"Come again." Finn stated. "Did she just call us Land Walkers?"

"Land Walkers is what they call us." Violet said.

"Thank you for helping me." Ileana said, landing and crossing her wings across her chest; draping her wings over her body like a cloak.

Piper looked at her hair and saw that Ileana had a feather corsaged in her hair and gasped and looked at Virginia, who nodded at her.  
Only Harpies of royal blood were allowed to wear feathers in the hair. It was their culture. Ileana was a Princess.


	23. Wings of Prayer

Chapter 23: Wings of Prayer

Ileana glanced towards Piper, who caught herself staring.  
"No worries." She said after Piper apologized. "The feather symbolizes my status as Princess."

"You're the Princess of the Harpy Tribe?" Aerrow asked her.

"Yes." Ileana answered. "My mother is the Queen."

"Can you take us to her?" Aerrow asked. "We need to speak with her."

Ileana hesitated.  
"We wish to be left alone...But you did save my life...But..."

"What's the other but about?" Virginia asked, leaning forward slightly.

"But if you, as Land-Walkers travel more up our mountain, you will have to deal with my Aunt Roszka before you reach the peak..." Ileana said.

"Who's Roszka?" Finn asked, he was answered by the angry shriek of a hell fire red haired, full-grown Harpy with purple feathers and light skin as she swooped down at immense speed and almost took his head off with her razor sharp talons.

"THAT'S ROSZKA!" Ileana screamed as she shot up into the air and out of sight with the other Harpy in almost a split second.  
Everyone's mouth hung open in shock at how quickly they disappeared into the sky. Finn was making sure his head was still attached to his neck. He sighed in relief before shaking his fist at the sky.

"IS THAT ALL YOU GOT?!"

"Finn! Shut up!" Piper said. "We're here to befriend them!"

...

"Roszka! Stop!" Ileana pleaded.

"PRINCESS!" Roszka shouted with her emerald eyes perpetually burning with rage. "Why are their Land-Walkers on our mountain?!"

"They mean no harm!" Ileana reassured, positioning herself in the air right in front of Roszka, stopping her next dive attack.

With every wing beat, Roszka's back length hair blew in both the natural breeze and the wind generated by her wings. "All Land-Walkers who come this far up here have a death wish, Princess." She said. "If I slaughter them all now, I will save them from starving."

"They saved my life, Roszka." Ileana said. "In return, they wish to speak with my mother. Please... Let them live."

Roszka hesitated. Her deep, burning hatred for the Land-Walkers again reflected in her eyes. "Princess... In the two hundred and forty years I've been in these airs... They have been the enemy... How do you know they aren't hunters?"

"I know they mean no harm. Please, Roszka."

"... Very well, Princess..."

...

The two Harpies flew back down to the "Land-Walkers" and landed, both crossing their arms to make the feather cloak.  
"I apologize, Land-Walker." Roszka said to Finn. "I was ahead of myself."

"Damn right you were!" Finn shouted.

"Finn!" Piper exclaimed again.

"Yeah, yeah...Here to befriend them." Finn said.

"Befriend us?" Roszka repeated as if the words intrigued her. "Why do you wish to befriend us after years and years of sending us into exile and taking our skies away from us?"

"We need to speak to your queen, immediately." Aerrow said.

Roszka raised a thin, black eye brow. Now that she was still, Roszka's golden armor that covered her torso was more visible.  
"I am Roszka, Chiefteness of the Queen's Guard... Why do you need to speak with our queen so eagerly?"

"I am Aerrow, Sky Knight of the Storm Hawks. Can we just trust each other leader to leader?"

Roszka snorted. _Sky Knight... _She thought to herself. _Nothing Knightly about any Land-Walkers... _She finally spoke.  
"You will not travel any further up this mountain until my question is married to an answer."

"We need your help." Piper finally answered.

"You need our help?" Roszka grimaced. "That is to laugh! Very well...I will escort you to the top of the mountain and the Princess will continue her search for supplies."

Ileana nodded before fluttering off down the mountain.  
Roszka kicked off and the wind from her much bigger and stronger wings blew dust into everyone's eyes. Without an apology or even batting a lash, she instructed the group to keep climbing and she stayed hovering above them.

After what felt like an hour of climbing in awkward silence, Piper spoke to Roszka.  
"Roszka?"

"What do you want?" She asked with venom.

"I was wondering...How did Harpies evolve from humans?" Piper asked.

Roszka heaved a heavy sigh. "We didn't... You devolved from us."

"Really?" Virginia asked.

"Yes. According to our legends... There was a Harpy millions of years ago who went down to the mortal Atmos and stopped flying. After ages of disuse of her wings, her feathers dematerialized and her offspring were born without feathers. You are descendants of her."

"Decca the Featherless." Cyrus said.

"Huh...You're not as dumb as I thought, Land-Walker."

"We have names!" Finn lost his temper.

"Oh, la-dee-dah." Roszka said, unfazed. "Okay, let's hear your names."

One by one, the climbing group sounded off their names.

"Aerrow."

"Piper."

"Finn...I'm the guy who's lucky to have his head!"

"I'm Virginia and this is my mentor, Cyrus."

"I'll try to remember." Roszka said in a sarcastic tone before flying ahead slightly.

"I don't like her." Finn said.

...

When the group finally reached the top of the mountain, but still low enough for the air not to get too thin. They looked around at the top of the mountain. It was formed into a valley filled with shrubbery, a water fall and lake and homes built in caverns in the mountain side. Above the water fall was one big home built from the mountain top.  
From the big cavern flew a Harpy with aquamarine hair held back in a pony tail that reached her back, black and green feathers and creamy white skin. Her blue eyes shined.

"I am Amadea. Queen of the Harpies and ruler of this mountain." She paused, hovering before the group. "Only Land-Walkers that are truly determined reach the top of Harpy mountain...and Roszka tells me you wish to speak with me?"

Roszka seated herself on a stone pillar to the left of the group and twirled the feather braided in her hair as Harpies hovered around to observe.

Aerrow was about to step forward, but Cyrus beat him to it.  
"Amadea...You're highness. We come from the Magical Atmos, and some from the Mortal. We come in a plea of desperate help." He reached in his pocket and produced a shiny, poufy, blue, artificial feather. "Accept this feather as a token of our peace and respect."

Amadea flew down to Cyrus and accepted the feather from him. "Why are you so desperate for help, you'd come all the way up here?"

"Our homes are in danger, threatened by a Witch named Shaundi." Aerrow said.

"Ah...I've been hearing about that." Amadea replied. "It's a terrible shame."

"You're highness!" A blue haired Harpy with green feathers and light skin thundered before landing. Her hair hung by her jaw line and she wore the same golden armor that Roszka was clad in. "With all due respect...The demons and bloody wars of the Land-Walkers are none of our concern. After all, what has a Land-Walker done for our kind?!"

"Hush, Lasha!" Amadea said, silencing the Harpy politely.

"You're Highness." Piper said. "Lasha... Please recall a story of a young woman in the year woman was named Elizabette Potts. She was traveled with her father's baiting business. She didn't approve of her father's treatment of animals, but she snapped when he acquired a Harpy.  
"The Harpy was beaten, tortured and humiliated for the amusement of the magical and sometimes mortal public. Elizabette didn't stand for the torture of the creature that was capable of human speech. Her famous words were: 'Stop! This is torture!' and when her father replied with 'This is a Harpy.', she said: 'A helpless Harpy, capable of our speech, you hear her cries for mercy and they fall on deaf ears. How different is that from committing these heinous acts on one of us.' She then demanded the Harpy be set free...In which it was.  
Queen Amadea and Lasha... Please recall that Elizabette Potts was a mortal Land-Walker."

"Silence mortal!" Lasha yelled.

"Stop! Let her speak, Lasha." Amadea said. "I recall that story...Because that Harpy was me."  
Piper smiled. Amadea continued. "I will forever be grateful for what Elizabette did...But please understand that we wish to keep to ourselves."

Piper's smile disappeared. "Then you won't help us?"

"No... We won't..." Amadea said with a sad, apologetic tone.

Just then, Ileana came flying up with a whoosh.  
"You have to help them, mother." She said. "They saved my life."

"Ileana." Amadea exclaimed before looking at the group of visitors. "Is this true...Did you save my daughter?"

"Yeah...then as payment, Roszka over there almost DECAPITATED ME!" Finn yelled.

Cyrus turned his head towards Roszka. "Can you toss him down the mountain please?"

"Whose side are you on?!" Finn yelled at Cyrus.

Amadea thought for a few minutes while looking into the innocent eyes of her daughter.  
"Land-Walkers...See this as a payment for Elizabette's acts... I will send my 3 guards with you back to your homes to aid in your fight. Roszka, Lasha and Safa are the finest fighters we have on our mountain. You will be well aided."  
Landing behind their queen, Roszka, Lasha and a third Harpy, one with short orange hair and navy blue feathers and cream colored skin lined up. They were willing to obey Amadea's orders to go, but they did not look happy about it.

...

Thank yous were said and everyone headed down the mountain.  
"You are most gracious." A harpy said to Amadea.

"One harpy was all they would have needed, so my act of graciousness was sending all three of my eldest daughters. Help will soon come more for the Land-Walkers homes soon." The queen replied. "I forsee the return of the GunWitch..."


	24. Important Note for The Readers

To my readers.

As of May 30th, my laptop cannot access Internet explorer, therefor I am borrowing a tablet to do all my Internet needs such as checking email, tending to my deviantart account and answering messages/replying to reviews here on ff.

I cannot post chapters on this tablet because all my chapter documents are on my laptop and will have to be transferred to my new one, once I get a chance to get one. However, at the rate things are going here, I won't be able to get a new laptop til August when the school sales are going on. But I promise, I will try t get a hold of one sooner.

Until I find a new laptop, new chapters for "5Ds: Rise of the Nether Signer", "Bullet Witch: Loves Light and Hates Darkness", "Dead Terra: Apocalypse" and other active stories will be have to be put on hold.  
Ill update this message as soon as I know when I'll be getting a new laptop.

Until then, please hold tight, ill get to work on new chapters as soon as I can.

Love from  
Bae. Aka. AnarchyGunRage.


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